


The Hollow Hero: My Hero Academia x Hollow Knight Crossover AU

by EverlastinglyEngross



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games), 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead is So Done, Alternate Universe, Bakugou Katsuki Needs a Hug, Bakugou Katsuki Swears A Lot, Best Friends, Blood and Gore, Child Death, Childhood Friends, Crossover, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Cute Midoriya Izuku, Enemies to Friends, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, Friendship, Gay Disaster Bakugou Katsuki, Grief, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, I Made Myself Cry, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Major Character Injury, Midoriya Izuku Needs A Hug, Minor Character Death, Multi, Non-Graphic Rape/Non-Con, Other, Parental Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Protective Bakugou Katsuki, She/Her Pronouns for the Knight (Hollow Knight), Silksong Somewhat Applicable, They go back and forth on the pronouns, They/Them Pronouns for The Knight (Hollow Knight), Todoroki Shouto Needs a Hug, Todoroki Shouto is Bad at Feelings, Todoroki Shouto is a Sweetheart, Underage Rape/Non-con, Yagi Toshinori | All Might is a Dork, the infection is like a zombie hivemind
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:08:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 51
Words: 163,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25077373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EverlastinglyEngross/pseuds/EverlastinglyEngross
Summary: If My Hero Academia and Hollow Knight was a single AU, what would that look like? Bug and human societies merged many years ago, the Pale King ruling over bugs, but then another rival, the Radiance rose up, wanting to rule in a different way. Radiance and All for One would have teamed up, the Hollow Knight, along with All Might and many others, seal away The Radiance in Hollow Knight and kill All for One. Or did they? By the time Izuku and a new, younger vessel named Hollow )after its predecessor), are ready to become heroes, infection begins to spread, and the chant to free the source of the infection begins. It's up to them to stop the spread and save humanity and bugkind, and become true heros!Will put warnings on graphic chapters! Because of these scenes I've changed the rating from T to M.Please note: After some heavy consideration the parts heavily based on the Anime itself won't go past season 3, and diving into the "original" Hollownest will begin after the "last" episode of season 3, so to speak. I wanna finish this fanfiction, after all, and a lot of people will die.A crossover based on My Hero Academia (the anime) and the Hollow Knight Video game.
Comments: 157
Kudos: 87





	1. Origin

**Author's Note:**

> The Ghost/THe Knight is named Holly as her full name will be Hollow. She was named after her older sibling, the Hollow Knight, who was sacrificed before was named. She lives with and was raised somewhat by her half sister Hornet, who's a full time hero. All Hollow Knight characters will look similar to their in game counterparts when dressed as heroes. In her civilian clothing Holly looks like a pitch black kid with bright orange eyes (in reference to Hollow Knight & Sealed Siblings endings) but is dressed like her game counterpart in her hero costume. Holly goes by she/her or they/them.  
> She grew up with Izuku and Katsuki and knows them well, still calling them by their pet names before she lost her emotions due to their Quirk (and conversely, the Void within) manifesting itself (although she was always under the impression that Deku was a nickname.... not one used to tease. Izuku never corrected her.)  
> EDIT: It will follow like the show at first but will slowly become game-like as the trio get deeper into the sins of the past! I will update the tags as I write more and I WILL put warnings for the more graphic scenes when we get there! Because of these scenes I've changed the rating from T to M. The League of Villains are much more brutal than in the original show, so beware for the future!  
> Thanks for reading! I'd love for feedback and I'm eager to continue this series!  
> EDIT: Added rape/non-con tags again. It's not graphic (only a paragraph in a hallucination) but it's still there. If you want to avoid it, skip chapter 43.

“Why’re you being so mean? You’re making him cry Kacchan!” The little boy held up his fists as he cried in fear, shaking, “If you keep on doing this I- uh- I-I’ll stop you myself!”  
The bully he was talking to smirked, blonde hair wild as he punched his fists, a small explosion coming from them, “You wanna pretend to be a hero? You don’t stand a chance without a Quirk. Deku.” The boy on his right spread his wings while the other on his left fingers grew to long, unruly lengths.

The little boy’s tears ran freely in fear when another stepped in, stopped them all with a swift swing of their stick.

“Kacchan,” another child of pitch blackness and bright orange eyes stepped in front of Deku as the other two backed off after being hit. “Stop it.”

“Holly?” little Katsuki looked in shock, “Get out of the way!”

As if to challenge him, they held out their stick, utterly expressionless.

“It’s not worth it,” Katsuki muttered, turning the other way and waving a dismissive hand, “Why do you even bother with that Quirkless wannabe?”

Holly didn’t answer but turned to Izuku and the nameless, whimpering victim, “Did he hurt you?”

Izuku jumped and hugged Holly, sobbing. Holly gave an unsure hug back.

“I’ll get a Quirk soon, right? Yours developed late too, so that means mine should too!”

Holly turned her head to Katsuki who was walking away. Their eyes met and Katsuki looked away with a blush.

She just squeezed him in a tighter embrace, but her Quirk had rid her of all true emotion and, in turn, a proper answer.

\--

**_9 Years Later_ **

Izuku and Holly run together through the city to school. While Izuku jogs in place waiting for the light to turn, eager and excited, Holly stands by patiently, but follows with equal speed once the light turns green.

There’s a roar in front of the duo, and they both stop as a policeman wings their baton in front of them.

“That’s one huge supervillain!” Izuku shouts in awe as, indeed, a villain the size of a small building is on the bridge where the trains go.

Holly stands patiently as her companion begins to mutter to himself. The villain roared again and punched down an electric tower.

A hero caught it and the crowd cheered for Death Arms as another hero sealed off to keep people from moving closer.

Holly noticed Izuku starting to creep closer to the action, as she put a hand on his shoulder.

“Uh,” he stuttered, surprised. Holly just stared at him.

“I just want to-”

“Lead the way Deku,” she answered, “I just did not wish to lose you in this crowd”

His face lit up as the pair inched forward. 

A thin, barely visible string appeared as a hero in a red dress and white mask appeared. Fangirls cheered as the hero landed, her dress showing off her pitch-black legs that resembled Holly’s own.

“Hornet’s here to save us!!” a small crowd of boys shouted eagerly as the Princess Knight hero descended, spinning her silk with ease.

“I’ll crush you like a bug you pest!” The villain shouted, slapping their air as Hornet dodged easily.

“Oh my god Holly it’s your half sister Hornet!” Izuku cheered as the pair made their way to the front of the crowd. Holly studied the way Hornet fought, as if trying to learn their moves from the distance.

“I know what you are then!” a bystander chided Izuku, “Fanboy. Everyone knows the great Hornet has no sister.”

Izuku blushed and turned to Holly, “She’s so cool! I can’t believe she is doing hero work so soon! To think we were just eating together just now.”

Holly nodded simply as they watched Hornet begin weaving a web in the air, graceful and fluid. 

“She’s about to use her ultimate move!” Izuku shouted eagerly.

“Assault, robbery and the illegal use of powers,” Hornet told the villain sternly, pulling at the threads she was weaving, her needle-shaped sword ready to strike, “you’re under arrest.”

“CANYON CANNON,” A new voice arose as a big lady came and punched down the villain to the other side of the street. Hornet puffed in annoyance and tightened her bindings on the now fallen villain.

In surprise the crowd gasped. Holly tilted her head in curiosity at the new arrival as the crowd took out cameras and frantically started taking pictures.

Izuku took out his notebook and began muttering to himself, taking notes as the crowd dispersed. 

“Again fanboy? What, you want to be a hero?” That same stranger said to Izuku in a condescending tone. 

“More than anything!” He replied with such vigor that Holly gave him a pat on the shoulder.

** _Adera Junior High_ **

“So. As 8th graders I know it’s time to start seriously thinking about your futures and what you want to do with your lives,” the teacher said, grabbing his papers, “Why bother with the career aptitude tests? I know you all want to go to the hero track!”

The classroom cheered, kids’ Quirks sparking in excitement. Izuku hung his head low, trying to be unseen, as Holly sat next to him, not cheering, but listening. She looked at him as he sunk further in. 

“Yes yes you’ve all some very impressive Quirks. But no power usage in school, get a hold of yourselves!” The teacher scolded gently to the classroom.

“Hey teach, don’t lump me in with these losers,” Katsuki declared, “I’m the real deal here, me and Holly over there. These losers would be lucky to even be sidekicks to a busted D-lister.” he chuckled to himself, looking over to Holly. Her big orange eyes blinked back, and for the sake of his feelings she smiled at him, faking the gratitude she could not feel.

“You think you’re better than us Katsuki!?” one of the other kids shouted in anger.

“Let’s go, I’ll take you all on!” He mocked at them.

“You do have impressive test results,” The teacher chimed in, “Maybe you will get into UA High.”

“He’s gonna try for a national school?!” someone complained.

“That place has a .2% acceptance rate!”

“He’ll never get in!”

“That’s why it’s the only place for me,” Katsuki kicked up his feet, “I’ve aced all the mock tests,” he jumped on his desk in confidence, “I have a chance at getting in and becoming more popular than All Might himself! I’ll be the richest and most popular, and it’ll all start at UA High!”

“Oh, Izuku didn’t you want to go there as well?” The teacher commented, holding out his papers, "And dear Miss Holly as well."

Izuku flinched, hard, and tried to sink lower as Katsuki turned his head and glared. The classroom burst into laughter. A Quirkless kid, at UA? What a riot!

Izuku looked up in fear and started to shake.

“Izuku? Yeah right!”

“No way you’re getting into the hero course without a Quirk!”

“Actually, they got rid of that rule!” His voice shook as he stood up, trying to defend himself, eyes locking onto Holly’s, “I have a chance if I try hard enough!”

Katsuki slammed his hand on a table and let out an explosion, causing Izuku to fall backwards. The kids behind him got in front of him as the class mocked and laughed.

“There’s no way you’re getting in, you’ll die in the exams!” Katsuki declared, his hands smoking. “You’re even worse than these damn rejects, you Quirkless wannabe!”

Holly stood up and positioned herself between the two boys. With no stick on hand she had instead taken a ruler and flashed it in warning.

“Kacchan, you’re getting out of hand. He is Quirkless after all,” Holly said plainly.

Katsuki backed off and grunted, “Defenless Deku, always having to have someone better come in and help you. Instead of embarrassing one of the greatest, you should stop trying.”

Izuku looked down in embarrassment and the bell rang. Katsuki took Holly’s hand and together he led her away. Holly looked back at Izuku and he just nodded solemnly. He didn’t want to fight over his best friend with his old friend, knowing how she had become torn between their two worlds by just _choosing_ to stand by him. But he couldn’t help the pang of jealousy at how close those two had become with their Quirks and their secret training in the woods.

The last class of the day and Izuku was the last one in his class.

“Man that fight from earlier today is all over the news,” he muttered as he looked at his phone, “Better write some notes down before I forget anything.” He picked up his notebook and looked at it, content.

“Huh?” He mumbled as it was taken out of his hands. He looked up to see Katsuki staring down at him.

“I dunno what you think you’re doing Deku but we’re not done,” Katsuki said, waving around the notebook.

“What’cha got there, his diary?” another male student came in to join the fray. Another one was right behind him.

“Ah-” Izuku squeaked out.

“Notes on how to be a hero?” the second asked.

“That’s so pathetic!” the first exclaimed, letting out a laugh. 

“He’s delusional!”

“Real funny guys, just give it back!” Izuku begged, holding out his hands to Katsuki to take back his notebook.

Instead Katsuki lit it on fire with his Quirk, and Izuku let out a cry in despair as he saw his notebook burn right in front of him before tossing it out the window.

As the notebook travelled down Holly was on the bottom floor, waiting for Katsuki to come so they could walk together. Holly heard only vaguely “when me and Holly make it to UA they’ll be talking to us like that,” followed by sobbing. 

Holly stomped out the flames with her foot and picked it up. She realized it was Izuku’s notebook, and that he was being bullied again.

She sat down on the side where the fish were, her Quirk activating and completely resting her in an instant. She flipped through the notebook, trying to clean useful information out of it.

She didn’t realize how much time had passed until Izuku showed up, trying so hard to hold back tears but still crying so softly to himself. 

“Deku,” Holly greeted, standing up and holding out the notebook, “this is yours.”

Izuku tried to smile through his tears but it was clear he was struggling.

“Deku, what’s wrong?” She asked, “Did they hurt you?”

Izuku hugged her and cried, his words getting jumbled up in sudden tears and hiccups. Holly hugged him back, gently rocking him. She saw on TV somewhere that some people did this to comfort others, and she was mimicking that caring emotion for his sake. He was clearly very distressed but he didn’t seem injured. It seems like only words had wounded him.

Upon hearing footsteps, and not knowing who they were, Holly tried to untangle himself from Izuku, but he didn’t seem ready as he clung on, begging her not to leave him, his only friend in this cruel world.

“Deku,” a voice growled, “Let her go.”

Izuku jumped away as Katsuki appeared, his tears uncontrollable as he shook where he stood.

“Is he bugging you Holly?” He asked, and Holly shook her head.

Katsuki nodded and grunted, “Let’s go. Leave this Quirkless scum.” He turned, expecting Holly to follow.

Holly gave Izuku a glance, and he looked at her back, tears now silent. Holly took a step forward and kissed his forehead in another attempt at comfort, giving his cheek a pat before turning and jogging to catch up.

Izuku stood still in awe, his tears drying up a little as he watched them leave.

And he felt hope that his friend wouldn’t abandon him or his dreams at the whims of Katsuki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Made a slight edit to say 9 years later rather than the 14 >w>;;;


	2. Shades of Heroism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katsuki and Holly do some training, meanwhile, Izuku learns more about his hero All Might. Katsuki makes a move on Holly while Hornet and All Might save the day.

Holly and Katsuki walked away from the crying Izuku, silent when Katsuki took her hand again.

“You’ve been doing that a lot lately,” Holly commented, looking at their hands, then at Katsuki’s face.

Katsuki blushed deeply, “You’re not stopping me."

“Did you want me to stop you? You seem to like it.”

“No, of course not,” Katsuki smirked, “We’re both powerful, if we team up, we’ll be the most powerful!”

Holly nodded pensively.

“What did you say to Deku to make him cry like that?”

Katsuki let out a disgruntled noise and shook his head, “Just telling that Quirkless freak that he’ll never be a pro hero like us, and to stop trying.”

Holly accepted that answer, but thought to think more on it later, and maybe ask Deku. She could tell when Katsuki wasn’t giving the entire truth.

The pair walked through a broken fence into the woods. Holly picked up an old, rusted piece of metal as they came into an empty field with a bench at one end. Holly went and sat down, her Quirk resting her up again as they put down their backpacks and ate an after school snack.

“Why does Hornet always pack you those disgusting grubs?” Katsuki asked as Holly took a bite out of roasted grub.

“She says the protein will be good for me,” Holly shrugged, “I do not care either way, as it is food.”

Katsuki gobbled down his spicy chips and stood up, “Well, let’s get to some battling again! The sun is still up so hopefully no one will notice if I use bigger explosions!”

Holly grabbed her rusted pole and swiftly took off her shirt, then held out the pole in a challenging pose. Katsuki smirked and admired Holly’s midnight upper body. With the coloring he couldn’t tell if her Quirk changed her anatomy to male or if it stayed female, but he liked looking at it nonetheless. 

Holly charged and swung the rusted pole with purpose, landing a hit on Katsuki. Katsuki grunted and let out a full explosion in Holly’s face. Holly was thrown back and then jumped, striking downwards.

Katsuki aimed up and fired and Holly bounced off the ball with her poll. Katsuki let out a yell and kept firing as Holly bounced off each fireball, then landed behind him, striking him again. Katsuki grabbed the pole and threw it, using his other hand to propel another fireball. It hit Holly, but Holly made no sounds. She dashed and jumped, then from her chest, bright white balls of energy came out, the first striking Katsuki before he let out three more fireballs.

Holly dodged and went back for her rusted pole, grabbing it and facing Katsuki once again.

Then suddenly, in his mind’s eye, he remembered a few days after Holly’s Quirk had begun manifesting, how she defended Deku and that other kid he was picking on. How she didn’t even back down in the face of 3 on 1. That worthless, Quirkless bastard. How he snivelled and cried today and claimed he wasn’t competing against them. 

Katsuki’s blood suddenly boiled and he let out a scream, a raging fireball hitting Holly. It knocked her into the air where her face split into two, her body splitting open, shattering into pieces. A shadow of herself floated in a ghostly form. 

“H-Holly?” Katsuki cried out, reaching for his friend. But she passed through him like she was nothing.

“Move aside,” a voice said behind him, and the shadow of Holly attacked… Holly?!

Holly whacked the shadow repeatedly as Katsuki looked in disbelief until the shadow and human became one. Holly went back and healed herself, looking at Katsuki.

“That was your most powerful attack yet,” she told him, “I did not expect it to bring out Shade.”

Katsuki ran up, screaming, “DON’T YOU SCARE ME LIKE THAT! I THOUGHT I KILLED YOU!”

“Apologies,” Holly said, “It is not often that I am injured to the point in which my Shade and I separate.”

Katsuki stopped, then blasted the ground with fire and screamed, “YOU DIDN’T TELL ME ABOUT THAT PART OF YOUR QUIRK HOLLOW!”

Holly stood up and wrapped her arms around Katsuki in a hug, trying to calm him down. “All is well. I came back to the last place I sat. It is OK, you didn’t seriously injure me.”

Katsuki pushed her away and started to shoot fireballs once again. Holly in turn parried them as Katsuki screamed nonsense at her. It didn’t affect Holly any way, she knew that he needed to vent out his surprise and frustration.

After a few more minutes of constantly throwing controlled balls of fire at Holly, Katsuki relented and sat down, exhausting himself out. 

Holly was surrounded by lights briefly shooting up as she healed herself before sitting next to Katsuki. She leaned on him as a way to comfort his still turning feelings.

“Holly,” Katsuki’s voice was hoarse and tired from the yelling. He tried to say something else but the words wouldn’t come.

Holly looked up at Katsuki, and Katsuki cupped her face gently. Holly blinked at Katsuki as he ran another hand over her midnight body. Katsuki smirked at the surprising softness of her skin.

“What are you doing?” she asked him.

Katsuki answered by giving her a kiss, a sweet and gentle one. Holly didn’t react, no surprised sound, but she didn’t move away either.

In those few seconds, Holly weighed her options. She had no feelings, and never would.Her Quirk rid her of those. It would be wise to have powerful children, to grant the world more heroes in the future. And Katsuki was strong and would only grow stronger still. To begin a relationship with him, it might distract him. But it might mellow him out a bit, someone he could be raw with. It would serve him better to have a cooler head in intense situations.

So Holly mimicked what she had seen in movies, leaning into the kiss, trying to mock the sounds Katsuki’s own throat was making, and let him kiss her. 

Katsuki leaned back and let out a small smile, “So you do have some feelings down there in that empty shell?”

Holly hadn’t realized her Shade had reacted accordingly and was letting out small orbs of darkness in response to the kiss. She’d never seen it do that before, and would have to investigate why later on. Instinct was her best guess, the thing every species had, the want to continue on.

Holly let out a false smile and shrugged at him. Katsuki’s smile grew wider, and the pair got up.

Katsuki kissed her again, a bit more aggressively, so Holly tried to mimic back. It was longer this time and the Shade’s orbs grew more agitated, but didn’t attack.

Silently they walked and grabbed their things, Holly putting back on her shirt. Sitting on the bench seemed to reset the Shade, as its orbs disappeared as she was fully healed. Katsuki took Holly’s hand as they walked out of the woods.

“I’ll see you later Holly,” Katsuki gave her a peck on the cheek.

“Goodbye Kacchan,” Holly gave him a singular nod and walked towards home.

As Katsuki walks he smirks to himself, remembering the sweet kiss and the touch of Holly’s body under his fingers. While he learned something new about her, he was glad that she also didn’t reject him. It had been on his mind to ask her out on a date, but it was hard to find a good place for someone who claimed to be emotionless. She probably just liked to spend time with him. He tries to keep it down but the smallest of blushes creeps up, enough that he decides to run to hide it.

Katsuki runs beneath a tunnel, his feet slapping hard on the ground, when he nearly slipped on some green goo. He caught himself on time.

“I suppose you’ll do,” a voice said, and Katsuki spun around as a wave of gunk crashed into him.

_Meanwhile _

“It was a fight that did this to me,” All Might, in his lanky form, explained, raising his shirt.

“That one against Radiance, right?” Izuku asked, still shocked at his hero’s true form.

“That’s partially true,” All Might nodded, “This part of the fight was kept under wraps. There was already too much going on at the time, as the Hollow Knight sealed Radiance inside itself forever. We lost a lot of good heros that day, and I needed to act strong. No one knows about the operations that we did behind the scenes to make that happen.” All Might looked Izuku in the eyes, “A pro hero must be willing and ready to sacrifice everything, even his mind, soul and body. That day, I may have lost a part of my body, but my respect to the Hollow Knight… I can at least say I can still do hero work.”

Izuku pondered this for a moment, “Do you think I could still be a pro hero, even without a Quirk?”

All Might stared at the boy, then sighed. “Kid, I hate to break this to you… but no. Without a Quirk you’d die.”

Izuku’s eyes filled with tears, his heart slowly sinking. Like glass shattering he collapsed and cried, hiccupping sobs and nearly hyperventilating. All Might’s eyes soften at the sight as he opens the roof door and begins to descend. He checks his pockets, but that sludge villain isn’t there anymore! As his eyes widen Izuku runs past him, still crying, no longer wanting to look his hero in the eyes.

Katsuki struggled against the villain as he let out explosions from his hands, trying desperately to get the villain to back off. But it laughed as it choked him, using him against his will. Katsuki’s mouth broke free for a moment, letting him get another precious gasp of air.

“Oh ho no,” The villain taunted, another sludge of slime forcing its way into his mouth, “You’re way better than my last one. Stay still and relax, you'll die quickly.”

Katsuki let out a silent scream. Not now! Things were going perfect! No! He’d not give up!

But tears of worry poured down his eyes anyways as he struggled, muffled screams as his Quirk exploded against his will, feeling the monster slowly crawl into his system.

A thin, almost translucent string appeared in front of him, wrapping itself around his waist. Katsuki caught sight of the needle-like sword and the threads wrapped around him and Hornet appeared.

“Release him,” she commanded, landing a brief kick on the sludge villain.

The villain laughed as it attempted to smack Hornet, who dodged him easily.

Katsuki felt the strings pulling him out. First came out his mouth, and he gasped for air, taking in big gulps of relief. Without a word he used his Quirk as he was now in control. But his heart sank to the floor when he felt his own explosions cut the strings as the villain pulled him back into its embrace.

“Not as easy as you thought, hero?” The sludge villain threw goop at Hornet as she weaved around him again, “Every time he uses his Quirk, those strings of yours are cut. Use yours too much and you risk slicing him to bits,” He laughed cruelly, Katsuki’s eyes looking at Hornet, pleading for help. Hornet sliced the villain directly with her blade, but he only laughed.

“Katsuki?! KATSUKI!” a voice from the crowd yelled, as a familiar figure ran through the flames.

Katsuki’s eyes widened in shock as that idiot Deku ran towards him, throwing his bag at the monster to distract it.

“Child, leave this place!” Hornet commanded, “This is a dangerous situation!”

Deku started to move the sludge frantically off of Katsuki’s face, and with enough air to breathe, in a voice that was sore from the sludge, “What are you doing Deku?! I don’t need your help!”

“I can’t help it!” he replied, still frantically moving, “You need help, and no one else is doing any good! I can’t bear to watch you die!”

Strings wrapped around Izuku as a muscular silhouette appeared behind him, running straight towards him. Hornet pulled away Izuku as All Might grabbed Katsuki.

“DETROIT SMASH!” All Might screamed as the force of his punch caused everyone nearby to fly in the air as the sludge villain was obliterated. The once sunny day began to rain.

“Never fear child, for I am here,” All Might looked at Katsuki, whom he still had in one hand. Katsuki’s eyes blinked in exhaustion, and he blacked out.

The door opened quietly as Holly walked in. The house was of silk and pale light, mostly weaved thanks to their half-sister’s Quirk. She sat down on the couch to rest, her Quirk healing her as she turned on the news.

“Kacchan and Deku?” she asked, watching as the news reel replayed the live events. It looked like Izuku was being scolded by police as Hornet, All Might and some paramedics attended to Katsuki, who was barely conscious on the ground. He seemed so very hurt.

Holly listened as they went over the events, and when Hornet dismissed once again the interviewers and knew that Katsuki was in good hands, swiftly left the scene.

Only a few minutes after did Hornet walk through the door.

“Well, it’s good that you’re safe little Ghost,” She commented as Holly turned to her, “You two like to walk together after school, and I was worried for your safety.”

“It must have happened after he left,” Holly replied, turning back to the TV.

“They are fine,” Hornet picked up the remote and turned off the TV, “Now, I have some things I need to talk to you about."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like these scenes with how badass Hornet is. I'll show off more characters as time goes on :D  
> Izuku getting overtaken by the sludge monster goes roughly the same as in the show, but the end of their talk is different. All Might mentions the Hollow Knight by name and its implied that he's sealed up somewhere using his body as a way to imprison Radiance (like the games :D)  
> I'm really into this story but don't expect an update every day, it's going to be very sporadic.   
> Thanks for reading!


	3. Pretender of Emotions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Holly runs into Izuku and All Might at the beach and reveals a small tidbit of information she's known about All MIght, much to Izuku's surprise. Hornet visits Kitsuki and warns him against his illegal use of his Quirk, but while Kitsuku agrees, he's still very much a jerk about it. Both boys conclude that Holly must have emotions down in their husky shell somewhere. Holly investigates Izuku's mental state and tries to bring him back to a healthier state of mind, if only to have access to his strategies and planning if getting One for All from All Might fails for Izuku.

Holly turned around and stood up, walking to Hornet, “Is something amiss?”

“No, nothing like that,” Hornet replied, “It’s about your training in the woods with Katsuki.”

Hornet could tell Holly was trying to mimic the expression of surprise and shock, and shook her head. They were getting better at it at the very least.

“Don’t look so surprised little Ghost, I saw your Shade while I was on patrol,” Hornet explained, “Luckily everyone else seemed preoccupied, but you and your friend need to stop. I do not want this to affect your chances at going into UA.”

Holly bowed in respect and nodded, “Katsuki just wants to spar and get ahead.”

“You’ll both develop weird habits if all you do is fight each other,” Hornet sternly said, “If he wants to spar, bring him into the agency. He may not fit in but fighting some others may do him good.”

Holly nodded in understanding.

Hornet looked into Holly’s eyes and still saw nothing but emptiness, just like her older brother, not a spark of motivation or emotion, a husk just doing as it was told.

Hornet turned and walked into the kitchen of their small home, “You may resume what you were doing.”

Holly went back and sat on the couch, turning on the news again. Hornet wondered if she did that knowing that doing nothing would creep her out, or if she was beginning to develop a taste of heroism? As she poured water for tea, she concluded that Holly was doing it not because they cared for Hornet, but because it was easier to pretend.

_Takoba Seaside Bay_

The next morning, Holly walked by herself towards the trashed seaside. No one ever went there as it was littered top to bottom with trash, and in the trash was many things to hit, perfect for bringing out the Soul in things without harming others. It was much more convenient than having to hit objects versus hitting others and dealing with the social consequences of that.

Holly picked up another rusted piece of metal and began to hit random pieces of trash. Sometimes they could only hit things once and it would bring out Soul, other times she could come back and hit it again. It seemed to vary from piece to piece, and the ocean would sometimes bring in new objects and take away old, reliable ones. She would take the more reliable ones if they weren't so heavy and she had some help, but the instability of the place helped her practice what Hornet called the "Mantis' Claw" part of her anatomy. Not a Quirk in of itself, but an ability to climb up walls, even if the way made her constantly look like a jumping spider as she climbed.

Holly paused when she heard sounds of struggle up ahead. She jumped up the trash pile and reached the top, seeing her friend Izuku and All Might. Holly noticed All Might was in his lanky, deflated form, the form in which Hornet and he could discuss things without All Might being swarmed with adoring fans.

Holly jumped down as Izuku struggled to move a fridge as All Might told him motivation, but turned when seeing the newcomer.

\Holly bowed respectfully to All Might, then her friend, “Izuku. What are you doing here?”

“Holly?” Izuku asked, “I could say the same of you.”

“I gather Soul here,” Holly explained, hitting the fridge as a small amount of Soul came out of it. “Why are you here?”

“Holly!” All Might exclaimed, putting a hand over her shoulders in a friendly way, “No need for the formalities or pretending! He knows who I am!” All Might changed into his muscled form and flexed.

Holly nodded, “Are you training for One for All then Deku?” 

Izuku seemed to choke on his own spit as he jumped in surprise, “YOU _KNOW_?”

All Might patted Holly’s shoulders and Holly looked up at him, “Hornet is one of those that knows my secret. While a very young hero at the time, Hornet helped me defeat my greatest enemy!” All Might changed back into his lanky form and coughed a little.

“You never told me you were friends with All Might Holly!” Izuku’s eyes sparkled with admiration at his hero.

“I am not supposed to,” Holly didn’t see harm in lying, if her friend was really the next one, “They met before I was...made.” Holly considered her words carefully.

“Made?” Izuku asked, confused.

“Izuku, you know, when two people love each other very mu-”

"OH MY I understand now!!” Izuku waved his hands to try and cut off All Might, who laughed.

“You could’ve said before you were born Holly,” he muttered, blushing deeply.

“Apologies,” Holly said, then walked to Izuku and gave him a hug, “I wanted to talk to you about yesterday,” she whispered into his ear, “text me when you are finished.”

Izuku hugged back, glancing at All Might and swore his face couldn’t get any redder.

Holly pulled away, giving Izuku a nod and bowed to All Might before dashing away to another part of the beach, hitting pieces of trash along the way.

All Might watched them leave and turned back to his heir, “So, you’re good friends with them?”

Izuku jumped up and turned away, trying to pull the fridge again, muttering a shy yes.

“I can’t hear you!”

“Yes we are!” He jumped and frantically pulled harder, “She’s my best friend and the only one at school who’s ever believed me in becoming the greatest hero!”

“Oh?” All Might asked curiously, “Do you like them?”

“I-I wha- whe- n-no!” Izuku stuttered out, putting up his hands in defense and shaking his head, “I-I mean I’ve th-thought about it but I-I’m not like, attracted to her li-like that sir.”

All Might laughed, a wheezing laugh before going into a coughing fit, “It’s always good to have a friend of questionable gender to rely on Izuku. Now, back to work! Go! GO!”

Izuku was glad to be done, and as he struggled with the first piece of garbage he was glad his blush was replaced by the red blush of exertion.

_The Bakugo Residence_

Later in that same afternoon, Hornet arrived at that Bakugo residence, carrying a small parcel of food. She rang the doorbell and Katsuki’s mother answered it.

“Hornet?” she asked in surprise and Hornet bowed.

“I’m here to follow up on your son and give him some spicy noodles,” Hornet gestured to her bag, “I hope you do not mind me coming in unannounced Mitsuki.”

“Oh of course not! I’m glad you and All Might were able to rescue him yesterday! I nearly had a heart attack. It’s been forever since I last saw you!” Mitsuki turned and shouted, “KATSUKI, GET DOWN HERE! YOU BETTER NOT BE SLEEPING IN AGAIN, ITS 11 IN THE MORNING. WE HAVE A GUEST!”

There was a disgruntled, garbled “NYGYA” back as small explosions followed.

“YOU BETTER NOT BE USING YOUR QUIRK BOY, I WORK HARD AND YOU JUST COME IN AND DESTROY MY BEAUTIFUL HOUSE?”

There was angry stomping and Katsuki stormed into the living room, wearing very loose sweatpants and a tank top.

“MOM IT’S SATURDAY AND I WANTED TO SLEEP IN.” He shouted back at her.

His mother smacked him upside the head, “We have a guest! The Hero Hornet has come to check up on you! Don’t embarrass yourself in front of her!”

Katsuki grumpily looked at Hornet, “What do you want?”

His mother smacked him again, “Don’t be so rude!”

“MOM I LITERALLY SEE THIS PERSON ONCE A WEEK AT LEAST.”

“I’m sorry Hornet, excuse him,” she turned to Katsuki, “BE NICER SHE’S HERE AS A PRO HERO.”

Katsuki gave up and eyed Hornet warily, thinking about just going back to bed.

“As a pro hero it is my duty to follow up with those I’ve rescued,” Hornet replied calmly, holding up the bag of food, “I have also brought you spicy noodles. Shall we sit and talk?”

Katsuki walked over and could sniff the still-hot food. He grunted and just walked over to the kitchen table and gestured for her to sit.

“I’ll give you two some privacy,” Mitsuki said, “Hornet dear, if Katsuki gives you trouble, shout for me.”

Hornet let out a small chuckle, sat down next to Katsuki and pulled out the noodles.

“How are you feeling?” She asked politely.

“Fine,” he grumbled, taking the food and opening the box. He took out the chopsticks within and began slurping up the noodles.

“Good, then I’ll get to the point. You and Holly need to stop training in the woods.”

Katsuki paused for a second and looked at Hornet, but with her mask on he couldn’t read her expressions.

“How did you find out about that?” He rudely asked through a mouthful of noodles.

“You brought out her Shade yesterday. Now while it’s hard to tell up close, they’re like beacons to those who recognize it. Continue doing that and you’ll be disqualified from going to UA,” Hornet sternly said.

Katsuki swallowed some noodles and sighed, still tired and just done with Hornet’s shit, “Am I in trouble?”

“No, but if you continue you will be. You may come into the Hollow Nest Agency and spar occasionally, but I will not allow you to ruin her chances at becoming a pro hero just because she enjoys your company.”

Katsuki smirked as he ate his noodles, remembering the day before in the woods. So this confirms it, Holly _does_ have feelings.

“Is there something funny about what I just said young man?”

Katsuki shook his head and leaned back in his chair, “No, I understand. Thanks for the offer, but I’ve decided that me and Holly won’t train at all. After all, how can I become the best if she knows all of my moves?”

Hornet glared at him, but decided to not reply. Instead she stood up and gave a singular nod. “Alright, glad we’re on the same page. Enjoy your weekend.”

Katsuki let out a grunt.

_The Midoriya Residence_

There was a knock on the door and Inko Midoriya answered to see Holly standing there.

“Greetings Mrs. Midoriya,” she bowed, “I have come to spend time with Deku.”

“Holly, it’s been so long!” Inko greeted and ushered her in, “You guys don’t hand out as much as you used to!” she turned and called, “Izuku! Holly’s come to visit!”

An exhausted Izuku walked out of his room and smiled at Holly, who greeted him with a hug. Inko smiled at the both of them, thinking about how cute they looked together.

“Mom, do you mind if-”

“No no dear, don’t let me intrude! I’ll bring you both a plate of dinner though!” Inko smiled at her son and Izuku smiled gratefully as he lef Holly into his room.

They closed the door behind them and Holly sat on Izuku’s bed, looking at some of his All Might memorabilia. With the biggest statue she tapped lightly, a little bit of Soul from Izuku’s admiration. Izuku sat next to her and collapsed backwards with a sigh.

“How was the first day of training?” she asked him, and he laughed.

“Tiring,” he admitted, “I didn’t know you knew him.”

Holly thought back to all the times she saw All Might visiting. While Hornet and he talked she wasn’t much to engage, but would happily listen to them talk about hero work and strategize on how to take down villains.

“He does not like his secrets getting out, especially about his Quirk,” Holly replied, then turned to look at Izuku. She couldn’t understand why many called him so plain, but perhaps it was because he was Quirkless. From her understanding of what many considered attractive, maybe his lack of confidence put him from handsome to nothing. 

She let herself collapse besides him and looked at the ceiling, where he had hung an inspirational poster of All Might saying to “NEVER GIVE UP!”

“Yeah, I guess not,” Izuku agreed, turning his head to face her, “Didn’t you want to talk about something?”

“Yes, indeed,” Holly said, “what upset you so much? I have never seen you in such a state of sadness.”

Tears sprang into Izuku’s eyes as he remembered Katsuki’s hurtful words, telling him to kill himself and rid the world of his Quirklessness, and that he shouldn’t get in their way. He couldn’t find himself answering as the tears rolled freely. He hid his face in his hands and turned away from Holly, silently trying to pull himself together.

Izuku felt Holly wrap an arm around him and gave him a sideways hug. While he was a few inches bigger than her he felt so small in that moment as he cried. Holly stroked his stomach in an attempt to comfort him so Izuku flipped over and just cried into her shoulders. Taking this in stride Holly just rubbed circles into his back as he tried to explain what happened, but everything that came out was snot, tears and the struggle to breathe.

“You’re safe,” Holly tried to put emotion into her voice, knowing her normally monotone, emotionless voice might upset him even more. 

“You’re safe,” she repeated, stroking his hair with their other hand, “I will not share it with anyone.”

Izuku tried wiping away the tears but his hands shook with emotion. The entire last two days were a roller coaster on him that had all come crashing down. Meeting his hero and being told that he couldn’t be a hero. Then seeing someone he admired nearly dying to something that nearly killed him, and then All Might… It was just too much at once.

So he just cried into the only person who stood up for him, who seemed to care outside of his mom. His best friend who’s Quirk seemed to have ruined her mind, but struck a balance at keeping Kutsuki happy and remaining his friend. Somehow, despite her Quirk, he couldn’t believe that she was just an emotionless, empty husk of a person. Emotionless husks wouldn’t go out of their way to make sure he was emotionally well! She actively stood up for him when things in class got out of hand and the teachers turned a blind eye. And here she was, still supporting him.

What he didn't know was the Holly was doing this so she could discuss strategies and analyze the Quirks of others to learn as Izuku did so that when her own life of being a pro hero began she would be better equipped at coming up with those on the fly. 

After maybe 15 minutes Izuku’s tears began to dry as the crying had left him more dizzy than the training, draining him. He pulled himself up and away from Holly.

Holly in response sat up as well and wiped the last of the tears out of Izuku’s eyes, who smiled at her and blushed a little bit.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, “It just...came out.”

“You needed that,” Holly replied, “I did not mind. You're not-”

"No. I'm just...the last few days have been a lot more than normal. But I'm not."

Holly nodded at him, trusting what he said. "I'll always be around for you, Izuku Midoriya. You're a hero to me."

Izuku smiled a little bit more and let out a giggle, Holly smiling back to try and mimic Izuku’s positive emotions back. Shyly, he reached for Holly’s hand just to hold it, enjoying the silence the befell them. His face was still red but Izuku felt it deepen as he schooched a tiny bit closer.

“Honey, dinner is ready!” his mother burst through the door without warning and Izuku jumped up and back, as if he was doing something other than holding the hand of his best friend.

“MOM!” he yelped in surprise, face going completely red. He looked down as Holly blinked at the both of them and stood up.

“Is something wrong dearie?” His mom asked, looking at them both. While Holly didn’t react at all to her coming in, only turning her head, she noticed her son was red in the face.

“No!” He said a bit too quickly, “No, nothing. You just surprised me.” He looked down, suddenly very shy.

“Then come on, I made what you requested!” Inko decided not to pry, if there was even anything going on. Holly walked out and looked back at her friend, who quickly followed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of an update on the Mantis Claw part, which is now not a Quirk but a bug-like ability Holly has! :D (it makes sense since she *is* a bug)  
> A little bit of dialog changes between Holly and All Might, but nothing major. However Holly and Izuku's solo scene is changed a bit, added some more dialog. That's about it for updates :)


	4. Starting Line!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku is put through intense training as Holly and Kitzuki study for the exams. The Seer is introduced and leaves Holly their first gift to make up for mistakes past: a Quirk called the Crystal Heart. Hornet suspects something is up but allows it.  
> Holly attends the UA Recommendations Exam and runs into Shoto. While they don't speak, Shoto silently decides using Holly would be a delightful way to say to his father to fuck off. Holly does her interview and places decently in the practical.

In the most aggressive way possible Katsuki had told the entire class that he and Holly were a thing when, while bullying Izuku and Holly’s inevitable stepping in, he had gone up to her and kissed her. Holly’s Shade immediately spat out orbs aggressively as Holly gently pushed him back. The class began to hoot and holler as the teacher tried to make them settle down.

“This is not the time and place for that. Stop wasting your energy on the Quirkless,” Holly told him, but Katsuki just smirked.

“You know you liked that.” he chided, “look at how riled up you’ve gotten.”

“You’re-you,” Izuku stuttered, and Holly glanced at him. Instead of answering she helped him stand up and kept herself between the boys. She held out the ruler in her hand in challenge, as if daring him to try and make a move. Katsuki’s smirk grew wider and he sat back down.

“Are you OK Deku?” Holly asked him, but he too, sat down on his desk and seemed to sink. Holly decided to reset the Shade’s agitation at Katsuki’s kiss and seated herself again.

Days and weeks went by as Izuku trained hard at the beach. Because of Hornet’s threats, Katsuki and Holly would go to the public park and study the mock exams, purposefully in the most distracting places possible. It was unknown what UA would throw at them while in the real exams.

When Holly went down to the beach to gather Soul, she would occasionally run into her friend. He acted so distant and cool when they met, Holly figured it was All Might being around that made him act that way. She caught him alone when All Might was gone and decided to question him.

“Are we still friends?” She asked, and Izuku jumped.

“Are-are we?” he asked back, blushing and looking down.

“Nothing that I can see has changed to make that no longer the case Deku. I appreciate your company and the battle strategies, as well as your reasoning and your personality. We have been friends since before my Quirk came, and being around you reminds me of the feelings I used to have.”

Izuku looked up at her, tears in his eyes, and gave her a hug. Holly hugged back, knowing this was supposed to be a moment where happiness was supposed to be there. But instead, as always, there was an emptiness within her. Always, always that emptiness. But in her facade to appear more human she would brave the ocean and try to consider the emotions of those around her, and try to do what Hornet said was ‘right’, to be a hero, even if in the short term it seemed pointless.

Holly smiled falsely and squeezed her best friend, then they separated, her hands still on his shoulders like she’s seen others do.

“I am glad to call you my best friend,” she stated.

Deku cried some tears of happiness, “I’m glad too Holly.”

“This is sweet, but Holly, you’re distracting him!” All Might announced and Izuku jumped up into the air.

“All Might, I didn’t see you! I’m sorry sir,” Izuku bowed furiously, and All Might let out a laugh.

“Back to work!” All Might said and Holly left them so as to not distract anymore.

** _10 Months Later_ **

_ The Day Before the Exam _

Hornet and Holly were eating their dinner when there was a swift knocking on the door. Hornet got up to answer when a familiar chuckle came into the room.

“Ahh, Hornet, you grow even stronger still with that silk of yours,” A moth-like human entered, her soft purpled skin and moth-like eyes glittering with amusement and age.

“Seer,” Hornet exclaimed, “This is unexpected. What do you want? It has been ages since we last saw you.”

The Seer nodded, sagely walking towards Holly, “I hear that tomorrow is this one’s exams to the prestigious UA.”

Hornet got between them, her eyes cold and angry, “I would rather you drain every drop of Quirk and Soul before I let you even think of-”

“Calm down child,” Seer chuckled, “I came with a gift. One to help with the exams this year, yes,” she bobbed her head, “If she gets in, another one. But if not, I will simply take it back.”

Hornet glared at Seer, remembering. 

Seer was the unknown child of One for All and Radiance, having both quirks, the one to invade and control dreams and the one to give and take Quirks. But as a result she could not only take and give Quirks, but give out the same Quirk again and again without fail. Seer has used this to stay under the radar save for a very select few knowing her current disguise after another hero, the Lovely Grandmother Moth, had died.

“Fine,” Hornet said, “But blend it into hers, so people will think it is part of her Void.”

Holly looked at Seer bowing her head as a sign of trust. If Hornet would be OK, so would she.

“I give you the power of crystals,” Seer declared, laying a hand on Holly’s face and cradling it gently, “The Crystal Heart Quirk. With it you will dash across vast distances in only a fraction of the time.”

Holly felt the Quirk appear in her mind’s eye, and the ability to wield it. The knowledge came as if she had it her entire life, just like her normal Void. The Crystal Heart and Void became one, Crystal Heart becoming the deep black like her body.

“Give it a try,” Seer took her hand off and stepped back.

Holly crouched, wind surrounding her as pitch black crystals formed. The power charged and she flew forward, hitting the wall with a  _ THUD _ .

Seer nodded, “You need to work on the landing child, but you are ready now!”

“Why are you doing this?” Hornet asked as Seer turned to go.

Seer paused, and without turning said, “Call this may way of repaying you both for what my parents did, and made yours do.”

Dream catchers surrounded the Seer, and she disappeared in a mist of light yellows and reds.

_ The Day of the Exam _

“Good luck Holly,” Katsuki gave his partner a quick kiss on the lips as they departed for their different exams.

“You too Katsuki,” Holly bowed her head, turning.

Katsuki gave out a smirk and turned, jogging towards another entrance as Holly walked into the building for the UA Recommendation Entrance Exam.

The first thing that caught her attention was the boy whose hair was both red and white, split evenly down the middle. She recognized Shoto Todoroki, the son of Endeavour. She knew that his father and Hornet worked together occasionally, but did not get along in the slightest. As a result she did not know him well, only from snippets from Hornet when she rescued him after he had apparently gotten very lost in the city.

The person who next caught her attention was the one trying to talk to him, a loud boy in blue with short cut hair who was being very, very loud.

Shoto turned away from him and walked, but the other boy took it as nerves. He caught sight of Holly observing them and ran up to her in a blur.

“HellomynameisInasa, whatisyourname?” He asked in a fast, hyperactive voice.

Holly had to crane her neck to look up at him.

“My name is Holly,” her voice was plain, monotone and dull.

He paused and looked down at her in surprise, “Are you not excited for the exams?!”

“My Quirk rid me of emotions, unfortunately,” she explained to him, “If I had them, I may be.”

Inasa then noticed the dullness in Holly’s eyes. No matter how he searched, there was nothing. No anger, nervousness, or even a hint of warmth in them. Nothing positive, nor negative. Even as Holly smiled at him he could tell it was fake, now having this pointed out to him. He backed off and decided to talk to other students.

After registering herself there was to be a line for interviews. Holly was seated next to Shoto, and as she sat her Quirk healed her, letting off its brief, bright flash.

Shoto glanced at Holly, who stared off into nothing, a calm musical melody seeming to accompany her after her Quirk rested her. He recognized her as the child Hornet had adopted a long time ago. The _Abomination_ , as his father so often referred to as, when talking down about Hornet after their brief and unsavory team-ups.

Holly glanced back, and both looked at each other for a moment. Shoto looked away, and so did Holly.

Shoto respected Hornet. Having only met her twice in person, the Princess Knight hero was stern, but he recognized that she was not cold like his father. The first time when they met he had run away from home, trying to reject his father and go live on his own.

The second time was her follow-up, to check in on him. She had given him ice cream, vanilla. He could still remember the cool taste of it in his mouth, how much he appreciated the gesture. His father had yet to punish him for his runaway, making him think he was safe. Shoto’s father was not one for waiting on punishments, so in his eyes he thought that his father learned and understood why, and this would be a good turning point. 

He remembered her words to him, silky but stern, telling him to not run away like that again. He had promised this kind stranger this, a real hero. Someone who perhaps helped change his home life for the better! Oh how happy he was, how hopeful...

As soon as she left he got the worst beating of his life, and then…

Shoto touched his face, where his burnt scar from his own mother was. But he dared not call this hero, even as he watched with tears his father brutalize his own mother.

Through his hand he glimpsed at Holly again. It may have just been him, but despite never having uttered a word to each other, his anger towards those days dissipated, only being replaced by the same gratitude and safeness that Hornet provided. Maybe, as a nice, big fuck-you to his father, they could be Heroic partners and work together.

The thought of angering his father like this made Shoto smile as Holly was called into her interview.

The principle of the school, Principle Nezu, sat on the couch sipping a cup of tea. Holly walked into the room.

“Welcome to the UA interview,” The principle greeted civilly, “As you know I am Principle Nezu, the dog, mouse, and a bear all rolled into one.” 

Holly smiled and bowed, introducing herself, trying to put emphasis on emotions in her voice.

“Sit, sit,” Nezu said, “I already know who you are Hollow. You’re the creature Hornet decided to raise as her own.”

“Indeed,” Hollow said.

Nezu put down his cup of tea, looking Holly in the eyes.

“I know that you don’t have any emotions in there. These questions are specifically designed with passions, dreams and hobbies in mind. But you Dear Ms. Hollow have none of those.”

“Indeed,” Holly gave a single nod.

“This will serve as more of a formality then,” Nezu got up and poured another cup of hot tea for himself, sitting back on the couch, “You have been killed twice, once by your parents, and twice by your own Quirk. You’re the result of a terrible, terrible deed to help save the world.”

“May I ask by what you mean sir,” There was no true curiosity in their voice, but something most would and should ask about their pasts.

“I relate to you Ms. Hollow. I understand that, like your older brother, Hollow Knight, that you’re just trying to make the world better, even if in the short term it inconveniences you. Under that black shell, there is still some humanity, even if you yourself are no longer human.”

Holly chose not to correct the principal's profiling of her, for doing so would put her at a disadvantage when being accepted.

The principle took a sip of his tea, before an uncontrolled laugh burst from him, spilling some of the tea.

“I have a deep hatred of humans. But I take the safety of others very seriously, and from your recommendations, you do too. I’ve been told of you defending the bullied and Quirkless when teachers turned a blind eye, even if that meant next to no friends.I think you would fit into UA very well.”

Holly bowed her head. “Thank you sir.”

A buzzer rang and Nezu smiled at her. “Just pass the practicals and the written test dear, and you’ll be accepted here with great warmth.”

Holly stood up and bowed deeply to the principal, and they shook hands.

The practical was just a simple race, and as the clock ticked down to begin, Holly charged up her new power. Black crystals formed around her, some other applicants pausing to look at her, startled.

“GOOHOOO!” shouted Present Mic, and everyone took off. 

Holly was launched into the air, but she saw Shoto was much faster than them, using his ice to propel himself forward. Behind him, the boy who had attempted to talk to her (she had already forgotten his name), and two more after that. Holly crashed through the ice with little pain behind Shoto, not once slowing down. Still, she was not second, or third or forth, but fifth place. Not knowing how to stop, she crashed into the loud boy, which stopped her acceleration.

“Apologies,” Holly got off of him and offered a hand, “I did not expect to crash into you as I did.”

Shoto turned and walked away, and the loud boy did not take it. Instead he stood up angrily, and glared at Shoto’s back, then at her. Holly had no weapon on her, concluding that whatever he had in mind, she would have to go defensive in the meantime. But instead of attacking, he stomped away.

“Kacchan,” Holly greeted her partner as they were being seated for the written portion.

“Hey Holly,” he said, then pointed to Deku, “Look at that idiot. Heard he got injured, and not a single point in his name! Even if he gets every answer right, he’s not getting in.” Katsuki gave Holly’s hand a squeeze, “Don’t even know why he fucking bothers.”

Holly glanced at her other friend, assigned so very far away. From here, it looked like he was about to cry, but was trying to hype himself up for the written portion.

The desks in the auditorium automatically began to rearrange themselves, and Kasuki let go of Holly’s hand. They became arranged in such a way that no one student could see the test of another, and, quite conveniently, Holly was parallel to Izuku. 

He was trying not to cry again. Holly, knowing that she was trying to be a hero, decided to mimic what she supposed Izuku would do if the roles were reversed.

“Good luck,” Holly whispered to him, and Izuku turned, then smiled at her, grateful. 

“You too,” he replied in an equally quiet voice, and Present Mic announced for the written portions to begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Seer will also be referred to as Mrs. S, Cici or the Lovely Grandmother Moth Hero. She and Hornet don't have the best relationship but Hornet is smart enough to see good intentions versus bad, especially to someone so powerful.   
> I decided Nezu would know about Holly since in the anime he knows about All Might and the turmoils and battles All Might fought. Holly, however, doesn't know, and it was never relevant enough for her to go looking. So as someone no longer entirely human, he lets her in without a hitch if she passes everything! Yay! :D  
> (Little Ghost may be a bit OP but that's ok because Ghost in the games is the CUTEST, emotionless badass, and so the character who represents them is as well. Although I do see as Ghost as either a they/them or she/her, luckily the game thinks them genderless so I will project XD)  
> Shoto running away would be something I added, something any kid might do at age 5.  
> Inasa ends up hating both, for Shoto's coldness and Holly's hollowness.   
> Mooore cute shipping <3  
> PLEASE NOTE that multiple updates a day is NOT a norm for me. On other sites I've been very sporadic, so uploading many a day is very unusual! With that out of the way, I hope you enjoy this fanfic still! LOVE reading your comments <3


	5. Read Your Mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Holly, Izuku and Katsuki are accepted into UA. Holly gains another Quirk, one called the Dream Nail Quirk, from the Lovely Grandmother Moth. The students begin the first day of school.

“Holly, your letter has arrived!”

Weeks later Hornet brought in the mail and woke up Holly, who had dozed off on the couch, “Let us watch it together to see if you got in!”

Holly sat up. She nodded at Hornet as Hornet sat down next to her and easily opened the package up.

Hornet pulled out a tablet and sat next to Holly, sharing it between them, pressing play.

“HOLLOW!” a loud bellow came from the screen, followed by cheery laughter. All Might showed up on the screen in a background of bright yellow, hands on hips.

“We’ve reviewed your application very thoroughly, and considered quite carefully! Your recommendations were astounding! Your grades in your classes, excellent! You aced your interview with flying colors! During the practicals, you placed 5th place and received a 97% passing score in your written exam!” All Might let out a mighty laugh as images of what he said appeared, smiling faces and check marks, as well as a picture of Holly flying through the air.

“We, the teachers here at UA Happily accept you to join us here today! Yes, even me! You see, I’ve chosen to become a teacher here at UA!” All Might proudly said, “Should you gladly accept, we will accept you into class 1-A! See you there!” 

The recording ended and Hornet wrapped an arm around Holly and squeezed a shoulder, “Oh, excellent! What wonderful news!” Hornet stood up, “Come, we must go out to eat, in victory!”

Holly stood up and nodded, and as the two were leaving their house, a familiar face appeared in front of them.

“Ahh, so the little dreamer has been accepted,” Seer nodded, a grin on her face, “It is time for another gift now.”

“Seer, is now the time?” Hornet asked, frustrated.

“It is the perfect time, no one’s around,” Seer replied, “Do not deny Grandmother Moth Hornet.” Walking up to Holly the Seer put a hand on her forehead, “Little Hollow, I grant you the power of reading thoughts and dreams of the foes you strike. This is called the Dream Nail Quirk. Use it to your advantage.”

Holly saw in her mind’s eye the Quirk being added. Winding up an arm she struck the Seer, a brief flash as soft reds and yellow dream catchers appeared that only she could see as Holly hit passed through the Seer.

_ Repenting for the sins of my parents _ , Holly read from the Seer,  _ I must give them every tool to pass back into the hero pool naturally _ .

“Does it work?” Hornet asked curiously, and Holly nodded. 

“Good,” Seer said, beginning to fade away, “Congratulations, little knight.”

Hornet let out a disgruntled sound as she was struck from behind by the Dream Nail.

_ I do not trust her, but I cannot deny her help over the years _ , Hornet’s thoughts read, as Hornet looked at Holly with a glaring eye.

“Did you just Dream Nail me little Ghost?” She asked sharply.

“No,” Holly lied easily, not wanting to go through the trouble of being grounded.

Hornet looked into Holly’s eyes, but only stared back the emptiness of the Void. 

“Hmph,” she puffed up and shook her head, “Let’s get going then.”

The next day, when Holly was running with Izuku at school, she let him know that her letter had arrived.

“Mine arrived last night too!” He said in excitement, “I got in!”

Holly nodded and smiled at him. “I got in too. Class 1-A”

Izuku’s grin broke wider as his energy seemed uncontained, grabbing Holly and jumping up and down in excitement, “We’re going to UA! We’re going to be in the same class!”

With her arms pinned she nuzzled under Izuku’s chin in an attempt at a sign of platonic affection. Izuku let her go suddenly and blushed, looking away from her to hide his creeping blush.

“Come on,” Holly took Izuku’s hand, giving it a tug, “We’ll be late at this pace.”

Izuku smiled and gently let it go, and together they ran off again.

Katsuki was harder to find at school, as Holly could not locate his company anywhere. She decided to text him, as it was a bit out of place for him to not find her first. She spent the day with Izuku instead, talking about UA and what they thought of it. Izuku contributed most to his hopes and dreams of UA, as Holly could only gather the facts and opinions of others and repeat what she’d heard.

**Sorry, mom let me sleep in most of the day because I WAS ACCEPTED INTO UA!!!** The eventual text from Katsuki came in during lunch.

“Kacchan was accepted as well,” Holly stated to Izuku, “Do you think we’ll be in the same class?”

Izuku sighed, “I hope not. He seemed really mad that I was even attempting.”   
“Does he know you got in?”   
Izuku winced, “No. And hopefully we’re not in the same class and he never finds out.”

Unfortunately, he did find out. Katsuki had waltzed in during the last period of the day, and the timing was perfect as the principle called them all into his office. The class stared at the three of them as they walked out.

As soon as they were outside of the class Katsuki grabbed Holly and aggressively kissed her in front of Izuku, one eye staring him down. Izuku looked away, feelings mixed as he knew Holly would automatically kiss him back. It wasn’t very long, maybe a few seconds, but enough to send the message.

Holly looked at Katsuki for a second, and a brief flash of light appeared, with soft warm colored dreamcatchers that quickly disappeared.

Katsuki’s shit-eating grin grew wide, and Holly let out a sigh, taking his hand and leaning against him as they walked. She used up Soul to make her Shade reset, the orbs disappearing completely in an instant. Izuku sulked behind the couple, looking down at his feet the entire time.

“Come here, come here!” The principal greeted them happily, “You three, the first students to ever get into UA from our little school! I am so proud of you!” the principal stood up and shook their hands. “Izuku, I never expected you to get in. But you did! You bring me joy!” 

Then, to Holly, “Hollow, getting in on recommendation alone is a celebration of its own! Well done!”

Last, to Katsuki, who’s face contorted to anger as he glared daggers at Izuku, who hung his head low.

“Katsuki, we all knew you’d get in. Well done, well done!” He congratulated, and Katsuki’s face went from anger to smugness. 

“All right, back to class with the lot of you,” The principal said, “Go on.”

The trio left, but as soon as they were out of range Katsuki shoved Izuku to the ground.

“I’ll punch your face in next time I hear you were making moves on Holly you Quirkless asshole,” He said as Izuku looked up at him in shock.

“Katsuki,” Holly got in between them, “There are no feelings to even have! You sent your message, and he understood!”

Katsuki’s face went from aggression to that of a wounded dog, then back to anger.

“Then stop acting like you want to date him too! All those cuddles and nuzzles, that’s what couples do,” he replied angrily.

“If you want me to stop, I will, but do not use me to bully him no more,” Holly said, “Or I will find myself another.”

Katsuki’s face expressed many emotions at once. Hurt, betrayal, shock, anger. His hands exploded and he stomped away, his pride wounded.

“FINE,” He shouted behind him, “I’M SORRY HOLLOW.”

Holly held out a hand for Izuku, and helped him up. While he got his balance she struck him with the Dream Nail.

_ She’d put her relationship at risk to stop him while I can’t even stand up for myself. I need to stand up _ , Deku’s thoughts floated into her mind.

“I decided to enter into one so Katsuki could have someone to be vulnerable with,” Holly informed him. Izuku looked at her in surprise, not realizing his thoughts had been read.

“Being told your whole life you’re great and perfect not only breeds arrogance, but a fear of failure,” Holly said, beginning to walk to class, “It’s perhaps why someone would want to be with a person without any expectations, to be treated equally.”

Izuku put his hands in his pockets and walked with her, “It doesn’t make sense. I’ve tried to treat him fairly too. He just… always picks on me.”

“Without a Quirk, you may have rubbed him the wrong way,” Holly stated, “but I do not know for sure yet. I am hoping that the new school will help mellow him out, Deku.”

Izuku glanced at Holly, who’s face read no expression, “And what if it doesn’t?”   
“Easy. I find another. Perhaps the son of Endeavor, as he is strong. I would consider you, but you have nothing to pass on. It is not a fault of your own, but you cannot pass down your Quirk to future generations. Or maybe that would be even better. I have yet to decide as I have not met Shoto.”

Izuku’s face went red at the thought of Holly and him becoming a couple. Kitsuki would probably attempt to murder him if that happened, but he couldn’t blame her if she wanted to leave someone so angry and arrogant towards people he looked down at. 

But he had some feelings, more romantic than anything. He remembered his attempt to kiss her before his mother interrupted him. His face went completely red at the thought, but he was content to remain friends. They were his biggest support after all. As they arrived in class again Izuku noticed Katsuki was already sitting, simmering

No, Izuku decided, Katsuki would most certainly try to kill him if that happened. 

** _April_ **

“Good luck little Ghost,” Hornet said to Holly as she began to leave for their first day at UA. “You do not have to put on a facade for anyone here, as it is more common for Quirks at schools such as these for kids to have near none a voice.”

Holly nodded Hornet, dropping the smile as she let her face become its neutral state, and walked calmly to UA. She did not stop by to pick up Izuku and race with him, but was on her own. 

Unlike the majority of the first years Holly found her way easily into the class, noticing the array of benches along the way in the school itself. Many places to let her Shade reset and heal. Students were already filing in, and she saw a seating chart. 

Seat 14 is where she was assigned, next to Shoto and another named Fumikage. Holly took her seat and waited quietly, staring into nothing.

She only glanced over when she saw Katsuki enter, followed by another boy, someone slightly taller than him.

“Hey watch it!” Katsuki bellowed angrily at him.

“You shouldn’t be so rude!” The other snapped back, “We’re representing the future of heroes, don’t be like that!”

This broke out into an argument at the entrance as other students pushed past the arguing duo, annoyed.

Holly felt someone tap her on the shoulder gently. She turned her head to the person next to her, a person who’s Quirk had changed his head similar to the appearance of a black crow.

“Hello,” his voice was surprisingly deep as he held out a hand, “I’m Fumikage.”

“Hollow, but most call me Holly,” Holly took it and shook his hand.

“Hollow?” he chuckled, “You were named after the Hollow Knight hero?”

Holly nodded simply, and Fumikage explained, “There was another boy at my school who’s Quirk also granted him dark skin like yours, and he was named that as well. I prefer your nickname.”

“Thank you,” Holly gave a small bow.

Funikage gave what Holly could only assume was a smile, and turned back to watch the argument. She noticed Izuku walk in and pause like a deer in headlights.

The taller boy stops arguing and apologizes for an incident Holly was unaware of and introduces himself formerly as Tenya. Holly stared off into the distance as she noticed Katsuki beginning to simmer. He was too far away to hit from where she sat, so she stood up and the flash was fast, but some of the other students noticed in the corner of their eyes, dreamcatchers.

_ I’m gonna ruin that bastard, after I learn how he passed the exams, _ Katsuki’s thoughts simmered into Holly’s mind. Sitting back down, she weighed options and decided the best course of action was to simply sit back down.

“If you’re just here to make friends, you can pack up your stuff now,” a dull, tired voice said. Holly noticed those at the door turning in shock as the sound of a zipper coming undone. “Welcome to UA High’s Hero course,” the dull voice continued, as the classroom hushed and stared outside the door.

“It took you 8 seconds to shut up, that won’t do,” the voice said as Izuku, Tenya and a girl stepped back, “Time is precious, rational students would understand that.”

The figure stepped in, a tired, worn out figure carrying what appeared to be a bright yellow sleeping bag.

“Hello I’m Shota Aizawa, your teacher,” he carried on, walking inside. Out of the bag, he pulled out a gym uniform. “Put these on and head outside.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's only writing now that I realize Shoto and Shota's names are spelled similarly, but are pronounced differently! OOF on me getting that straight.  
> I'm going to try and contain these to once a day, but be consistent with twice a week. I'm over excited in sharing this but leave a comment if you want updates on this as soon as I'm done with one chapter and head onto the next!


	6. The Test

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The class shows off all of their Quirks, and Izuku does surprisingly well due to some secret training he had in between weeks.

“A Quirk assessment test?!” The class shouted in disbelief , as if they couldn’t believe their ears. The girl Izuku had talked with protested about Orientation being missed, but their teacher dismissed them. Holly watched with great intensity as Katsuki propelled the ball forward, high into the sky until there was nothing, until she noticed Izuku shaking. She could tell that he was afraid as he watched Katsuki growl at the ball “DIE” before throwing it over 700 meters away.

Holly bumped into him gently, and he jumped out of his mumbling and trembling as he looked at her.

“Do not be afraid,” she reassured him, “Remember what Grandmother said. That fraction, that small percentage, will be enough. You won’t be expelled.”

Izuku sighed and looked at Mr. Aizawa, who was staring at the two with intensity, bloodshot eyes crazy.

“I’m worried it won’t be enough,” Izuku dared to mutter back, following the class for their first test.

_ 3 Weeks Earlier _

Holly knew that Izuku had used One for All when he told her that lunch day. But he didn’t know how to control it at all. So Holly asked the one who may know, the oldest and wisest, the Lovely Grandmother Moth hero. After only a quick search online, she was able to locate where the Seer lived, and knocked on the door.

“Holly,” the moth weezed, giving out a smile as she ushered her in, “What brings you here? I wasn’t aware you knew where I lived.”   
“I have a friend, Deku. He needs help controlling his Quirk. It is too powerful to contain.”

The Seer let out a crazed chuckle, but upon trying to read Holly’s mind, she found nothing but Holly’s ability to enter the Dream Realm.

“Who gave him the Quirk child?” Seer asked, bobbing up and down with intense curiosity.

“All Might,” Holly answered truthfully, not knowing that it would strike a chord with the Seer, who completely stopped moving, then nodded.

“Yes, bring him at once! I will help him control his Quirk, inch by inch, percentage by percentage.”

Holly bowed to the Seer, taking out her phone to text him.

“Mom I’m going out to jog,” Izuku shouted as he ran towards the door.

“OK dearie, just please be here before dinner!” His mother answered back as Izuku grabbed his phone. He looked at it briefly and paused as he saw a text from Holly. An address, followed by the message:  **Place to help train for you Quirk. Please come as soon as you see.**

Izuku didn’t recognize the address, but he trusted his friend to know what they were doing. She and All Might were the only ones who knew, although he couldn’t figure out their connection. Why did Holly know about One for All? Why was there such a familiarity between her and All Might that seemed to go beyond “parents are pro heroes that know each other.”

These questions burned into his mind as he raced to the address, but, as an aside, he forwarded the message to All Might. He added his own message, asking  **Are you a part of this?** Maybe he would know what was up? This address certainly wasn’t wasn’t the Hollow Nest Agency where Hornet worked at.

Izuku arrived at the place, a beat up and old building with minimal signs to show that someone lived there. Was Holly going to train him? Izuku noticed the lights on inside, and as he knocked, his phone buzzed. All Might had finally answered. But instead of texting back, he called him directly.

“All Might?” He asked as the door opened to a human with a moth-like appearance, “Is something up?”

“YOUNG MIDORIYA! ” All Might shouted into the phone, “WHERE ARE YOU NOW?”

Izuku froze in place, heartbeat rushing into his ears.  _ Dangerous? All Might’s tone sounds… different. _

“Who’s that dearie?” the sweet, old voice answered, taking the phone from him.

“YOUNG MIDORIYA?” All Might screamed again.

“Ah,Toshinori, it has been so long. Don’t worry, he’s safe with me.” The woman hung up as Izuku stayed rooted in the spot until she guided him inside against his will. 

“H-Holly?” Izuku asked, confused to see his friend sitting comfortably on the chair, having actually dozed off.

“Deku,” Holly stood up and walked towards them, “Seer can help you with your Quirk.”

“One for All,” Seer mumbled, “Ah yes, yes, I have trained many users of that Quirk, since the 6th one I think,” She mused, bobbing up and down. “Sit, sit young one. Let’s begin.”

All Might burst through the door, fully flexed, “DO NOT FEAR, I AM HERE.”

“Toshinori dearie, you harm my ears.” The Seer scolded him, and Izuku felt at ease when All Might deflated.

“But Seer, I should be in charge of raising him!” All Might protested as Seer shooed him out.

“Yes, yes,” she agreed, still shoving him, “But you neglected to have him come to me for the first percentage. I kicked out Nana, now I kick you out. Leave leave. The empty vessel and I will take care of him.”

All Might groaned, coughed up blood and looked at Izuku. He gave him a thumbs up. 

“There’s no arguing with this lady. You’ll do great,” To the Seer, he said, “Go easy on him.”

The Seer pushed him out, “Call more often! You neglect your Grandmother, boy!”

All Might chuckled and Izuku smiled wide.

“You’re gonna teach me how to use my power before school?” he asked excitedly.

To answer, the Seer brought out a sword and struck Izuku.

* * *

Dreamcatchers and warmth entered Izuku as he fell down. He could feel someone catch him and set him down gently.

“The next user!” A female voice shouted gladly.

“First timer too,” Another voice spat, and Izuku stood up to see 8 others standing before him, including All Might. The one who caught him was a slender woman of muscular build and dark hair. He noticed a small mole on her lower lip. She stood him up and smirked.

“Toshinori, you chose another Quirkless,” She asked All Might playfully, glancing at him

“What can I say except I saw the spark of heroism within Young Midoriya!” All Might flexed as he declared boldly, “Now it is time to teach him how to use his power!”   
“You ain’t doing none of that sonny,” a whispery, black ghost said, “You were able to wield this power almost immediately, let us show him how to get a percentage.”

“‘Sides,” said another, male-sounding ghost, “You’re still alive. Rest of us are dead. Your live self will teach him.”

“Who are you?” Izuku asked the small crowd.

“Don’t be afraid,” the woman who caught him said, “We’re going to teach you how to gain access to .5% of your power.”

“ _ HALF A PERCENT?! _ ”

The woman glared at All Might, who looked away briefly, and sighed, “Yes, as that’s as much as you can handle right now. This is what happens when only the bare minimum of requirement is met.”

_ Present Day _

The 50 meter dash was the first test. As everyone got less than 5 seconds, save for only a select few, Izuku breathed in. It was his turn now. He was racing against Holly and Katsuki, who were both ready. Holly had crouched down as black crystals formed around her, charging up with power. The boys glanced at her, never having seen this part of her Quirk before. 

The signal went off, and Holly took off into the air, charged forward by her Quirk. Katsuki raced just behind, yelling and using his fire to propel himself forward. While he was halfway there, Izuku felt himself charging, if only a tiny bit.

_ The microwave turns in circles _ , he thought to himself, remembering how the other users of One for All demonstrated their power, and actually showed him how a microwave worked.  _ HALF A PERCENTAGE _ ! 

A singular leap forward, right behind Katsuki.

“Five point zero seconds!” The robot announced, and Izuku felt himself powering down, smiling wide.

“I did it,” he muttered, looking at his hands, pretending to wipe his face of sweat and not happy tears, “Half a percentage. I did it.”

He looked up at his teacher, who looked at him very curiously. Izuku felt like he was being examined down to his very bones, and looked away.

“WHAT?” Katsuki shouted, turning around furiously, “How did you do that?!”

“Katsuki,” Mr. Aizawa said, his hair floating, “is there a problem?”

Katsuki growled at Izuku, but turned away quickly and shook his head. Izuku could feel him fuming, his frustration and anger building up, but no balls of flame came.

“Right. Let’s go to the next test, the lot of you,” Mr. Aizawa started to walk away and the students followed.

The second test was on grip strength. While one of the students, Mezo, outclassed everyone by getting a grip strength of over 700 pounds per square inch, Izuku still managed an impressive 250.

“Look, Holly, look!” He said eagerly, showing her with pride, “My Quirk let me increase this by over 200%!”

Holly nodded, looking down at her own grip. A measly 70 was all she could muster in comparison.

“You’re doing much better than I,” Holly stated, giving him a gentle shove, trying to come off as playful, “You are beginning to show off Deku.”

Izuku’s grin almost broke his face, it was so sore from smiling so much.

The third task was a long jump from a certain position, and as Deku soared past the robot, he let out a crazy, uncontrolled laugh of joy. He was in control! While he landed short of most students, it was still further than if he didn’t use One for All. He was no longer even paying attention to Katsuki’s glares. The rush of power, the joy of a Quirk, and the safety of not getting expelled… he was utterly thrilled and happy with himself.

He watched as Holly did her exam, jumping forward and dashing mid-air, then a quick, translucent pair of black wings propelled her further forward, coming in as the 2nd highest in the class. 

He didn’t do as well on the 4th test, sidestep, as that one required a little bit more thinking on his part, something that these tests let him not do. The kid with the grape-looking hair put Izuku off a little, as he went so crazy fast in a minute that Mr. Aizawa had to step in to get him to stop, shoving him away from between the grape balls he had made to use.

Finally, the last test. While the girl he had met earlier, Ochaco, had thrown a ball that was still apparently going. Izuku winded up for his own pitch. He was still giddy from excitement, the day's events going like a dream. One for All’s power coursed through him, and in his excitement he threw the ball.

The ball only landed about 40 meters away, and Izuku gasped, all the wind in his sail leaving.

“What gives?” He muttered to himself, looking at his arm in horror, “I was trying to use it just now.”

“I erased your Quirk,” the long scarf around his teacher’s neck floated upwards, his eyes staring daggers into Izuku. Izuku gasped and looked at Mr. Aizawa, who held a portion of his scarf in one hand, eyes glowing a bright, brilliant red. 

“The judges for this exam were not rational enough,” he continued, “Someone like you should never be allowed to enroll in this school.”

“Wait, you did what to my-” Again Izuku gasped as he noticed the specialty goggles on Aizawa’s neck. “Ah! Those goggles! I know you! You can look at someone and cancel out their powers. The Erasure Hero. Eraser Head!” 

The other students began to mumble, trying to figure out what Izuku meant. 

“You’re not ready,” Mr. Aizawa said forcefully, “You don’t have control over your Quirk, not fully.”

“But I have some control!” Izuku argued, taking a defiant step forward, and Mr. Aizawa sent one of his scarves to wrap itself in around Izuku to bring him closer.

“ If you can only use a fraction of a fraction of your power, or break all of your bones by using the full strength, then you’d be nothing more than a liability in battle, no matter your intentions” he said, eyes glowing threateningly. Izuku gasped in fear, expecting to hear the worst sentence of all for him. 

“You’re like another overzealous hero I know. One who saved a thousand people by himself and became a legend. But even with that drive, you’re worthless if you can only throw a single punch that counts before breaking down. Sorry Midoriya, with your power there’s no chance for you to become a hero.”

Izuku’s face of fear turned into one of utter determination as he stared at his teacher for what seemed like an eternity.

Mr. Aizawa put down Izuku, closing his eyes before looking at him again. “I’ve returned your impractical Quirk. Take your final throw. Hurry and get it over with.”

“I wonder if our teacher gave him some advice,” Tenya mused to himself.

“He probably told him to start packing,” Katsuki commented, hand on a single hip.

“It seems unlikely with how well he’s done Kacchan,” Holly replied, “It probably was advice.”

“Are you siding with him? I’ve seen you talking to him all day,” Katsuki asked, with an accusation in his voice.

“I only go with the most logical reason,” Holly took one of Katsuki’s hands and gave it a squeeze, “He could have very well told him he was going after this, based on the look on his face.”

This seemed to appease Katsuki as he smirked, then watched Izuku.

Izuku stood there for a minute as everyone watched with curious eyes. They watched him shake his head, gripping the ball tight. He wound up his arm and threw the ball into the air, smashing and breaking the sound barrier as it landed over 1000 meters away!

Izuku turned to Mr. Aizawa and clenched his fist, a single finger broken into purple bits. He gripped his fist and shook. Mr. Aizawa’s eyes widened, and a crazy grin appeared on his face.

“I’m still standing,” Izuku said to him, tears of pain in his eyes, “I  _ can  _ control it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to have Izuku train with the Seer, who's replaced Grand Torino in the story! She can activate the past users of One for All within the holder and have them train themselves! Mentally at least. It's a perfect training ground for Izuku, although he was too nervous to try it outside of his mind. I cut off where the training began and decided to show Izuku thinking about what went down instead :D  
> At least now he can utilize half a percentage and will gradually use more as time goes on, like in the show. Just much earlier.  
> Katsuki is extremely shocked at Izuku having what appears to be a good Quirk, and is actually madder because he was using it in almost ALL of the tests. He had made Holly go see up close in some of the tests because he knew he'd punch out Izuku's lights, and is, of course, extremely angered. So he'll definitely punch his lights out when he can.  
> Mr. Aizawa wants to push Izuku, which is why he still did that to him. Results: He has to go to recovery girl but still impresses and surprises his teacher with his creativity :D  
> We couldn't see it but All Might was still in the background for that one.


	7. Raging, Unanswered Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katsuki begins to feel more and more angry towards Izuku. Mr. Aizawa sets another ground rule, forcing Katsuki and Holly to pretend they're not a thing.  
> Meanwhile, Izuku wants to know about this new Quirk of Holly's that's popped up. Circumstances prevent an actual answer for the day, and battle ground training begins!

Katsuki felt his rage come to a boiling point. His jaw was open wide, his mind racing. He tried to contain it all day, watching Izuku pass multiple tests with above average scores only using a tiny fraction of his Quirk. Now **_this_ **?! No, he couldn’t contain himself no more! It was impossible! He’d have gotten his Quirk when they were kids! Izuku had to be up to something.

“HAVE YOU BEEN LYING TO US OUR ENTIRE LIVES DEKU?!” He screamed, charging at Izuku without care, “YOU BASTARD, TELL ME HOW YOU DID THAT OR YOU’RE DEAD!”

Izuku let out a scream of fear, jumping up and putting up his hands defensively.

Mr. Aizawa’s scarf leapt forward, binding Katsuki.

“What the hell,” Katsuki struggled against the scarf, “Why is your damn scarf so fucking strong?”

“Because it’s a capture weapon made of both spider’s silk and a special metal alloy,” Mr. Aizawa replied, glaring at Katsuki, “Stand down. It’d be wise to avoid making me use my Quirk so much. It gives me a serious dry eye.”

“Too bad,” most of the class said, “That power is amazing!”

The teacher let go of Katsuki and closed his eyes, releasing Katsuki, “You’re wasting time now. Whoever’s next can step up.”

Izuku slowly made a circle around Katsuki, cautious. Katsuki stood there, eyes cast down, but it was clear he was still furious. He growled and looked at Izuku, who was being attended to by that girl named Ochaco as Holly gently came over to pull him back to the rest of that class.

“Until the exam he was nothing,” Katsuki growled at Holly, “A little bug I could crush if I wanted to. What changed?”

Holly couldn’t give any answer, for it was a secret not hers to share.

* * *

Years and years ago, when they were all still children, Holly moved into the neighborhood with her half-sister Hornet. Kacchan and Deku were excited for the new arrival, especially since her caretaker was the number #11 hero! Not as good as All Might, but they figured that they might be able to meet All Might through her.

“Yes, they're a hero,” Holly said. This was before she had gotten her Quirk, she appeared to be a normal child with short, white hair and big grey eyes, “Do you wanna play?”

“I know the perfect spot!” Kacchan pointed to himself and puffed up his chest, “Come on, it’s in the woods! I can get through the fence easily.”

“Yeah, it’s really cool!” Deku replied, jumping up and down, “There are a lot of bugs there! Kacchan, you should get your net!”

At that idea young Katsuki raced home to get his butterfly net. “Deku, show her the spot, I’m getting the net! You better be there or else!”

“Come on!” the young Izuku took Holly’s hand, and Holly smiled shyly as they raced towards the woods. 

“Kacchan just developed his Quirk,” Deku said, “It’s super cool! He can make his hands explode!”

“Really?” Holly asked, “That is cool!”

Kacchan raced back with his net, and boxes to hold bugs in. He shoved the boxes at Deku and began leading the way.

“This way!” He marched, and the duo followed. Kacchan turned around and showed Holly his exploding hands, and Holly smiled at them. She still had some semblance of emotions, and she was impressed.

“When I get my Quirk, I hope it’s going to be as cool as yours!” Deku said excitedly.

Kacchan smirked, “Whatever, Deku. No matter what power you end up with you’ll never be able to beat me.”

Back in the present, Katsuki was still glaring at Izuku.

 _Just an annoying bug_ ! He thought, still glaring at Izuku, _o_ _n e that I can smash into the ground!_

Izuku didn’t do well on the rest of the tests, as while he fought through the pain, it made it hard to concentrate and use One for All at all. When Mr. Aizawa brought up the scores, his face fell as he was in the very last place. 

“And I was lying, no one’s going home,” Mr. Aizawa said.

The class’s eyes widened and were silent in shock.

“That was just a rational deception to make sure you gave it your all in the tests.”

“WHAT??” some of the students shouted

“I’m surprised you all didn’t figure that out. I’m sorry I should have said something,” a girl named Momo said calmly, looking at those who had yelled with concern.

The class looked at her with faces that said _yeah, you should have_.

Holly went over and gave Izuku a single pat on the shoulder as the rest of Class 1-A began to talk among themselves. 

“Midoiya,” Mr. Aizawa handed over a piece of paper, “Take this and have the old lady fix you up. Things are going to be a lot tougher tomorrow when your actual training begins. Make sure you’re prepared.”

Izuku looked at the paper and Holly used the Dream Nail to read his thoughts.

 _I managed to make it through the first day, but I didn’t expect to break myself doing it_ , he was chiding himself, and Izuku looked up at Holly.

“Those dreamcatchers… are they you?” He asked, confused and curious.

Holly walked past him, not answering.

The school day had ended early, as the first day was just orientations and meeting teachers, but the only thing Class 1-A had done were Quirk Assessment tests. 

“Mom needs me to pick up some stuff for her,” Katsuki said as he packed up his things back in the classroom after they all changed into their normal clothes, “She wants to make a celebration for the first day of school. I don’t mind but honestly, I feel like a grade schooler again.”

“Hornet expects me to go straight home Kacchan,” Holly replied, “She mentioned something similar this morning.”

“Well, I’ll see you later then,” Katsuki gave her a quick hug and walked away.

“Are you two an item?” 

Holly turned to the blonde kid who’s Quirk was electricity, who seemed to examine her with intent. She picked up her own school bag, and, not yet knowing how the school's policy on couples, shook her head.

"Really? But aren't you a girl?"

"While my nickname is feminine, I am genderless," Holly replied, "Katsuki refers to me as a she because of this, and I do not bother to correct, for I do not care how I am labelled."

"Oh," he replied, blushing, "I thought you were a girl too."

Instead of answering him she left the class and went straight to the nurse’s office.

Izuku was walking out when Holly arrived, slouching and dragging his feet.

“So you’re all healed?” She asked him, and Izuku jumped.

“Yeah,” his voice was an exhausted sigh, “I’m so tired though.”

The pair walked out of the building side by side, a silence befalling them.

“You never answered my question,” Izuku said, “Those dreamcatchers, were they you?”

Holly, with the safety of no one overhearing, gave a nod.

“Is that part of your Quirk?”

“No, it was given to me,” Holly replied.

“Given?” Izuku gasped, looking at her in shock, “But who? I didn't even thi-”

He was stopped by a hand on his shoulder, and a tense Izuku turned to see Tenya looking at him.

“Oh, hey there Iida!” He quickly spoke, shoulders going tense. Holly stepped in between the boys, noticing Izuku’s intenseness.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Tenya said, putting up a hand of surrender, “I don’t mean no harm, I just wanted to ask how’s the broken finger doing.”

Izuku relaxed and Holly returned to his side. Izuku looked at his finger, “Oh, it’s doing fine thanks to Recovery Girl.”

The pair turned and began walking again, Tenya following them.

“I was a bit concerned by Mr. Aizawa’s approach to class,” He said, hand on chin, “But I trust the school’s judgement UA is the top program.” He crossed his hands on his chest, “But even so lying is downright immoral.”

“HEY, WAIT UP YOU GUYS!” A voice called from behind, and all three turned to see the one with the Quirk of Zero Gravity.

“Are you going to the station?” She ran up to them eagerly, “I’ll join you guys!”

Holly decided to try and mimic the enthusiasm, as a way to help Izuku feel more comfortable, “I am! Me and Deku have to go there to get home!”

“Oh you’re the infinity girl,” Tenya said, and the girl finally had caught up to them.

“I’m Ochaco Uraraka,” She introduced herself, “Let’s see, you are Tenya Iida,” She turned to Izuku, choosing to ignore Holly completely, “And your name is...Deku, right? Midoriya?”

“Deku?” Izuku replied in surprise, blushing and looking at Holly, “No, no, my name is Izuku.”

“Uh, yeah, isn’t that what Bakugo and that girl called you?” She said, “During the fitness test after screaming at you?”

“Well, one, that girl is right here,” Izuku’s face went red, and he looked at his shoes, “She calls me that as a way of endearment. Katsuki calls me that to make fun of me.”

Holly gave Izuku a single pat, “You can tell me to stop, if you want.”

“That’s rather unsportsmanlike,” Tenya commented.

“Oh, I didn’t realize that,” Ochaco apologized, putting a hand behind her head, “I’m sorry. I think it’s cute though! Not just anyone should get to call you that!”

Izuku let out a blush so furious and sudden that caught Holly’s attention. She couldn’t tell if he was distressed or embarrassed, so she carefully stepped between him and Ochaco to get her to stop.

“Hey, no need to be rude!” Ochaco complained to Holly, “I’m not going to hurt him!”

“Holly, you don’t have to do that,” Izuku said, “I’m just...well not distressed we can say.”

Holly stepped back by his side.

“Are you two together by chance, as a couple?” Tenya asked, “The school doesn’t strictly forbid it but you do know that-”

“OH MY GOSH NO WE’RE JUST FRIENDS!” Izuku yelled, take a jump back. Now his neck was beginning to become red, and his ears. He hid his face as if trying to hide from such an embarrassment.

“No," Holly informed them, "He is my best friend.”

“You seem a little overprotective for your ‘best friend’,” Ochaco said dubiously.

“Actually, that’s because in our last school, I got picked on a lot,” Izuku explained nervously, tapping his hands together, “It’s a long story.” He made a fist, face turning determined as he took advantage of the subject change, “But here, I can finally change that and become a hero!”

Holly, seeing that her being there would hinder Izuku’s ability to branch out for more friends, gave Izuku a single nod and decided on another path home.

Izuku’s face changed to confusion at his friend’s sudden departure, as he wanted to talk to more about the other Quirk of hers, and what she meant. It reminded him of that Seer’s Quirk when he was being trained. He would have to ask later as his thoughts swirled at the new information.

It was quickly wiped away when Ochaco suddenly became much more friendly and open, as did Tenya. 

On the second day of school, Mr. Aizawa slammed his hands on his podium, causing the class to jump.

"All right, 5 seconds, a slight improvement," he said, "Now, since you all have potential, I'm going to tell you now, if I catch wind and find evidence of any of you dating each other, both parties will be immediately expelled. No ifs, ands or buts. This is a hero course, not a place to get dates."

Izuku glanced at Katsuki, who's bored face didn't even blink. Izuku already knew Holly's face would be utterly emotionless as the class called out the unfairness of it.

"If you don't like it, leave," their teacher's voice rose with annoyance, "Pack your bag and leave the hero course! This is not the place for you!"

The class fell silent.

"Now, time for the first period," Mr. Aizawa said, taking out his sleeping bag and crawling in, "hurry up, tardiness is not tolerated."

Class 1-A quickly packed their bags and left, but Katsuki brushed by Holly for a brief moment, giving her a look. He took his phone from his bag and sent a text.

Holly's phone buzzed as she looked at the text.

**Treating you the same as the rest of these fools from now on.**

Holly nodded, glancing at Katsuki to acknowledge she read it, put her phone away, and followed everyone to the next class.

The afternoon came, and the door to the class opened.

“I am here!” All Might’s confident voice announced as he walked in, “Coming through the door like a hero!”

The classroom gasped in shock and happiness, breaking out into mutterings amongst themselves, looking at All Might in awe and happiness. 

“Welcome to the most important class in UA High,” All Might said, hands on hips confidently, “Think of it as Hero-ing 101. Here you will learn the basics of being a pro! And learn what it means to fight in the name of good!” He flexed, his ever-present grin never leaving, “Let’s get into it! Today’s lesson I will pull no punches! “ He brought out a card that said BATTLE on it.

“Fight training!” Katsuki said with relish.

“Real combat?” Izuku asked quietly.

“But one of the keys to being a real hero is: Looking good!” All Might pointed to the wall, where out came everyone’s costumes, “these were designed for you based on your Quirk registration forms and the requests you sent in before school started.”

The students began to cheer as All Might ordered everyone to go get changed and to meet him at Training Ground Beta.

“Yes sir!” The class replied with happiness and excitement.

At Training Ground Beta the students walked out from the darkened hallway, seeing each other for the first time in full costume.

“They say clothes make the pros and you students certainly look the part!” All Might said, looking at them all with pride.

Holly’s own costume was an extremely simple one. She had taken after Hornet in a way for it, wearing a white helmet that hid her face and eyes, hiding away her expressionlessness as the simple horns curved upwards. It was hard to argue if she was in homage to Hornet, or to her own brother, the Hollow Knight hero, with her simple dark cape that went down to her ankles, protecting her back. She wore nothing else but carried a nail-like sword that was only 3 feet long. It was simple and she noticed the boys pause to look at her, only to realize that she had no genitals, or any markings of her gender. While she saw Katsuki take a nice long eyefull from her, most looked away, disturbed at her mannequin-like anatomy. Hers was a smooth, simplified body, and while her face leaned towards being petite, she still had no hair on her head. Truly the only thing gendering her was her nickname, as Hollow didn’t ring male or female.

“Take this to heart,” All Might continued, “From now on you are all heroes in training!”

All Might looked at everyone, chest puffing in pride, “You all look so cool! Now shall we get started, you bunch of newbies?”

Holly noticed Izuku running to catch up. Somehow, he had fallen behind the rest of the class. His costume was turquoise and simple, and she recognized its place in his burnt notebook, the costume he’d doodled, wanting for who knows how long. She used her Dream Nail on Izuku, as she wanted to know the strategies he probably wasn’t going to share. Instead of thoughts, however, she found him thinking about their costumes, and how his mom got him his. Holly recognized the moment as sweet, and left him well alone.

“You did it again,” he said, “What is it that you’re doing?”

“Deku!” Ochaco ran up, interrupting the pair of them, “Oh, what a cool costume! Not too flashy, you know?” She blushed and looked down at her own suit, “I should’ve been more specific with mine, skintight is not my thing.” Izuku squeaked and blushed at the comment, not expecting another compliment. Ochaco looked at Holly’s costume, noticing how, other than cape and helmet, they were very much naked. “Did you want to show off or something?” She asked in a condescending, rude manner.

“What is there to show off?” Holly asked, raising an arm, revealing her genderless body.

“Oh,” Ochaco said quietly, “You’re not...anything.”

Holly put down her arm as All Might ordered them to get in line and began to explain what they were doing. Holly listened with intensity, as with all lessons, and didn’t react when she was paired up with Katsuki as team D.

Katsuki looked at her, shit-eating grin on his face, before looking at All Might once again as she listened for the rest.

“All Right, let’s see the first matchup!” All Might pulled out the balls, and she was the evil team...pitted against Team A, Izuku and Ochaco.

Holly noticed as the rest of the class left the glare Katsuki gave Izuku, and the latter looked away and down. After a second his shaking hands formed fists and he glared back. Katsuki’s face was startled and he growled. 

The 4 of them followed All Might to the building.

“Bad guys, go in to set up and prepare. In 5 minutes the good guys will be let loose and the battle will start,” Al Might instructed.

“Yes sir,” all but Katsuki said back.

“Young Hollow. Young Katsuki,” All Might said, and they paused to look at him.

“The key to succeeding is to embody villainy. Think in the perspective of an evildoer!”

Holly nodded as Katsuki glanced back once more at Izuku, and growled one more time before going in.

The very top floor is where the weapon was held, on the last door in the hallway. Holly studied it, then swung her weapon on it. Soulless.

“Hey,” Katsuki said, and Holly looked at him. “Do you think Deku has a Quirk?”

“One that hurts his own body,” Holly answered simply, walking past him and back into the hallway, noticing a bench as a prop in front of the 2nd to last door. Katsuki followed her as she sat down, resting herself.

“Tch,” Katsuki growled in annoyance, his face turning into anger, then turning into determination. 

“Stay here,” Katsuki commanded, “I’ve got a nerd to roast.”

Holly nodded, continuing to sit on the bench. After a few minutes, they slouched beginning to go into a trance as they waited for something to happen.

  
  


Meanwhile, outside, Ochaco was complaining about the big floor plan, but Izuku wasn’t listening. He was distracted by the thought that he’d have to not only battle Katsuki, but his best friend too. While Izuku had only control of half a percent, he wasn’t yet confident in using One for All against another person. For now he’d have to try avoiding using it until needed.

“Ah, you’re sweating through your costume!” Ochaco exclaimed, breaking Izuku out of his own mind.

Izuku let out a nervous laugh, gripping his own map tightly. “Ah, well, it’s just because we’re against Katsuki and Holly. And they both have really good Quirks,” he tried to steady his hands, “We should be on guard, who knows what they’ll pull.”

“Oh, right, Bakugo. He’s the one who’s always made fun of you, right?”

Izuku sighed, “And he’s amazing.” Izuku remembered when Katsuki declared how popular he’d become, and how rich. How the other kids seemed so supportive.

“He can be a real pain, sure” Izuku continued explaining, “But his strength. His confidence...and his ambition. Not to mention his Quirk. So much greater than mine.”  
Izuku stood up, gathering all of his determination and confidence, putting on his mask, “But that just means I have to do better! I refuse to lose today!”

Ochaco looked at Izuku in confusion, then it changed to awe. She smiled, nodding, then replied, “So a fated battle between rivals then?” 

“Oh I’m not trying to get you wrapped up in my fight or anything!”

“Are you kidding? We’re a team, right? Let’s win this!” Ochaco fist punched the air, and Izuku, though startled at first, smiled and nodded.

“All right! Let’s begin the training!” All Might’s voice rose from the speaker, ‘Team A and Team D, your training begins now!”

The pair snuck into the building, onto the side, carefully crawling through the darkness. Izuku looked through the corners, he and Ochaco in sync with one another, checking rooms, some that were locked, some that were simply empty. They cleared the first floor and so far nothing. Izuku’s senses were put on overdrive, knowing that now-

From a 3 way corner Katsuki let out a grunt of power as he leapt to attack Izuku and Ochaco. Izuku leapt onto Ochaco, pushing them out of the way as the wall exploded from the force.

“Are you ok?” Izuku shouted over the noise, getting into a crouching position.

“Yeah, I am,” She sat up too, then looked over, “Deku! Are you-”

“It’s just my mask,” He interrupted, staring intensely at the clearing smoke, “I’m fine.”

The smoke cleared as Katsuki waved it away. “What’s the matter Deku? Afraid to stand up and fight me?”

From the top floor, Holly sat up and listened to the exchange, hearing Deku and Katsuki’s back and forth, waiting patiently for someone to come and fight her or for Katsuki to finish them off.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear I'm trying to not be a dick to Izuku about getting his questioned answered, he'll get it! XD Just not right away!  
> I had the idea of a tsundere Katsuki extremely recently, so, knowing that the teacher threatens even friendship-making, I could very well see him threatening anyone becoming a couple to be expelled. So now: cute tsundere shenanigans! He won't expel someone just for having feelings!  
> The entire class is put off my Holly's formless shape, although that doesn't stop Ochaco from being a little bit hostile towards Holly, as she's kinda already crushing on Izuku. Even tho they're just besties, that doesn't stop her jealousy. Oh well...  
> The final confrontation goes roughly about the same at the end, so I just switched it to Holly listening. Although if you guys who haven't read the manga (or watched the show like I'm basing this on lol) then I can include them in there too! :3
> 
> Thank you for your comments, they got me very excited! Writing this is exciting to me too, and I'm glad to share it :D


	8. Battling Your Best Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The teams split. Katsuki goes after Izuku while Ochaco goes after Holly. Izuku experiences one of the worst shocks in his life so far, and one side emerges victorious.

They were the only kids in the entire neighborhood, of uptight bugs with Quirks and middle-class humans of no notable variety, Katsuki and Izuku played only together. The others were slightly older in years, with Quirks, and refused to even engage with those boys. Kacchan and Deku, the pair nicknamed each other, laughing, without a care. Kacchan used to be kinder in those days. Confident, but none of the swagger and meanness. Deku would think that his friend was the coolest, doing everything with ease, from bouncing a ball with one foot to throwing a stone across the pond.

When Kacchan’s power manifested on Friday during preschool, there were only 10 students there, but everyone praised him. Back then it was weak, little fireworks in his palms.

“How cool!”

“You’re so lucky!”

“I want a Quirk like that!”

All the other kids chanted and yelled, suddenly giving Kacchan attention. At the praise, his sense of self-worth blew up. He _was_ the coolest, his Quirk _was_ the best, the best in the entire preschool! Even the teachers thought so!

“Wow Kacchan!” his best friend said, looking at him with admiration, “That’s so amazing! You’re so cool!”

Kacchan grinned even wider.

That next day when they met to play outside, they noticed a moving van in where the bugs with Quirks lived. A little girl, exactly their age, was standing there, watching silently. She didn’t appear to be a bug in the slightest, to their surprise. The boys ran up to her, excited.

“Hi, my name is Izuku, but I wanna be your friend, so call me Deku!” Izuku said enthusiastically, getting into her face. The girl looked at him, startled.

“I’m Katsuki, but call me Kacchan! It’s the name I let my friends call me!” Katsuki said, getting into her face as well, “We are friends forever when you tell me your name!”

The girl let out a nervous smile, then let out a shy nod, “My name is Hollow,” she said with a blush.

“What kind of name is Hollow?” Katsuki asked, “You’re a girl, so I’m calling you Holly. Holly is a girl’s name. Your other name was stupid. This is your new name now. We’re friends now forever.”

“Little Ghost,” an older voice spoke, and to the boys’ surprise, a hero walked towards them.

“Hornet!” The boys cheered, running up to her. Izuku grabbed Holly’s hand and dragged her along quickly. They began hopping up and down, frantically asking questions.

Hornet picked up Holly by the waist.

“Hey!” Katsuki suddenly stopped, his hands sparking weakly from his newly developed Quirk, “That’s my friend Hornet! Let her go!”

“Are these bothering you little Ghost?” Hornet turned to the newcomer, and she shook her head.

Hornet gently put her down, and Izuku asked, “Wait, are you her moma?”

Hornet laughed at this, a light, silky sound. “Oh, no, I’ve taken little Ghost in! I’ve decided to move here to help her grow, and I’m surprised at how quickly the Ghost has made friends.”

“Yeah, she’s my friend now forever,” Katsuki grabbed Holly by the hips and hugged her, then went and grabbed Izuku, “No secrets between us now! Super best friends!”

Hornet let out a smile, then her phone buzzed. 

“Stay safe little Ghost,” Hornet instructed, a strange spider's silk appearing as she leapt away into the distance. 

* * *

Things were simpler then. So much more of a childhood innocence for them. Izuku thought about this as Katsuki stood over him, growling.

“You’re shaking in your boots, you’re so scared of me,” He said, and this was partially true. Izuku was more afraid of getting carried away with using his Quirk and hurting Katsuki more than actually facing him. 

“Katsuki, can you give me a status report?” Holly’s voice rang inside.

“Just shut up and defend the weapon!” Katsuki put his finger to an ear, yelling, “I’ve got more important things to take care of!”

Holly didn’t reply to that, Katsuki assuming she nodded, facing Izuku again, fists letting out little explosions.

In the control room, a red-haired student by the name of Eijiro asked, “Hey, can we get some sound to this video? I can’t hear what they’re saying.”

“That’s because I gave them earpieces to talk to,” All Might explained, then held up a piece of white tape, “I gave them that, a map of the building, as well as this capture tape. Wrap that around your opponent means you’ve apprehended them, and they’re out of the game.”

The girl who looked like a pink bug, Ashido, asked, “So there’s a 20 minute timer and the heroes have no clue what floor the nuke’s on? The heroes are at a clear disadvantage here!”

“Yes young Mina, that is true, but real heroes have to fight villains like this on a daily basis! That’s life,” All Might replied, looking at the monitors again, then holding up a fist, “Even when the odds aren’t in our favor, we fight!”

The rest of the class smiled at this, All Might raising his arm, “LET’S HERE A PLUS ULTRA!” They all shouted, turning back to the screens.

Katsuki launched himself at Izuku, using his explosions to propel himself forward.

“Uraraka, go!” Izuku shouted, using his Quirk to dodge Katsuki’s kick as Deku grabbed his leg. Ochaco took off the other direction, going to hunt for the weapon. 

“Ballsy move,” Katsuki growled, “Think you can take me by yourself? Use your Quirk already Deku! You idiot!”

Katsuki noticed Izuku trying to wrap the capture tape around his leg, and let off another explosion from his fists. Izuku dodged, One for All propelling him forward farther than he’d thought, clutching the tape.

Izuku stared at the smoke, noticing Katsuki had tried to kick instead this time. Was he worried? Izuku couldn’t tell, the smoke clearing as Katsuki glared at him.

Izuku didn’t wait for Katsuki to attack again, instead using One for All to run the other way, to lead Katsuki away.

“Get back here Deku!” Katsuki ran after him, screaming. He turned the corner, but couldn’t find him. Katsuki cursed to himself, beginning his search.

On the top floor, after hearing Katsuki tell her to defend the weapon, Holly moved it into the room next to the bench and cleared the room it was originally in. Now it was a mind game, which room? The room next to her, or the one after? Holly slouched back on the bench, resting, but not actually sleeping. Only she would know the answer to that question. She could hear explosions from down below, through the earpiece, Katsuki’s yelling and screaming as he tried to find Izuku.

Through the corner of her eyes she saw Ochaco. Holly didn’t move at all. This was her trap.

Ochaco peaked over, seeing Holly slouched on a bench. The idiot had actually fallen asleep on the job!

“Midoriya,” Ochaco crouched and whispered, looking at Hollow, “I found Hollow, and it’s guarding 2 doors. I’m not sure which one has the weapon in it.”

Izuku’s tired voice came back, “Two doors? And she’s guarding both?”

“I think it’s the one farther away and they’re trying to psych us out,” Ochaco said, “They’ve fallen asleep, so I’m going to sneak past to the last door. I’m on the top floor, and to the left.”

“Asleep? Wai-” The feed was cut off by a loud explosion as the feed was cut off.

“Midoriya?! Midoriya!” Ochaco whispered frantically back into the ear chip, but she knew he was occupied now with the explosions coming from below. Whatever he was about to say, she figured he wanted to meet up so both could check both doors.

Ochaco lightened her boots, deciding to check the last door instead. She floated silently past Hollow. She didn’t move.

As Ochaco snuck past her to the last door, she opened it to find...nothing? The room was completely empty save for a single pillar in the center!

Holly leapt from her seat and swiftly hit Ochaco on the back, propelling her inside. Holly took a step in and closed the door behind her, leaping forward to hit her with her weapon. 

Ochaco wasn’t prepared for this as Holly struck her again, leaping up and striking Ochaco from above, using her body to keep herself continuously up. 

“Release!” Ochaco shouted, dropping herself. Holly landed besides her and attacked again with furry. 

“Uraraka, what’s going on, do you read me? Answer me! I have a plan if it’s in the room you think it’s in!” Izuku answered too late, as it was not the correct room!

Explosions and shouts came out of the earpiece, and Ochaco lightened her shoes and legs again to scramble away from it. 

Out of range, she put her finger to her earpiece to inform Izuku when a speeding bullet of light raced towards her! Ochaco barely had time to dodge and only barely registered that this light had come from Hollow’s own chest, and she could fire off multiple rounds, hitting her again and again.

Dashing forward Ochaco reached out a hand, hoping to only touch her to send her midair, only to have her hand smacked away by the sword, hitting it with a CRUNCH.

“Ah!” Ochaco cried out. The force wasn't enough to break, but she would have a nasty bruise later.

“Hollow, you’re being too rough, this is a simulation!”

Booms from the fight below her, Ochaco realized that her team was going to lose as Hollow another bullet of light, and Ochaco couldn’t see anything else.

Moments later, Ochaco’s vision focused, and she realized that Hollow had wrapped around the capture tape. It took away Ochaco’s earpiece, putting it on.

“Deku,” Hollow said, “Kacchan. I have Ochaco captured. I’ll be waiting.”

Hollow left, and Ochaco sighed, slightly mad at herself for being so easily defeated.

Meanwhile, Izuku had been running through the hallways, distracting Katsuki. He still gripped the tape in his hands, ears straining. Katsuki wasn’t exactly being quiet in his search.

Izuku tried forming some kind of plan. Capturing Katsuki would be best, and maybe...maybe 0.75% of One for All would be fast enough? It’d been a few weeks since he was told he currently could only handle .5%, but he should’ve gotten stronger! Strong enough to safely punch Katsuki and daze him enough to wrap around the tape.

“Midoriya,” Uraraka’s voice came from his speaker, and Izuku put a finger to his ear to listen, “I found Hollow, and it’s guarding 2 doors. I’m not sure which one has the weapon in it.”

“Two doors? And she’s guarding both?” Izuku’s mind raced, trying to figure it out. Holly might not be strong enough to move the nuke by herself, if it was as heavy as it looked. But Katsuki could have helped move it too. Unless he went rogue?

 _No_ , he thought, immediately banishing the thought, _Katsuki cares and respects Holly enough to not just dismiss her like that. Anyone else, maybe, but not her_.

“I think it’s the one farther away and they’re trying to psych us out,” Ochaco said, “They’ve fallen asleep, so I’m going to sneak past to the last door. I’m on the top floor, and to the left.”

“Asleep?” Oh no, he knew what she was up to, “Wai-”

“Found you bitch!” Katsuki leapt from the corner, having snuck up on Izuku, blasting him with fire. Izuku was blindsided, getting knocked back. He scrambled to his feet and used One for All to race away. 

“You’re not getting away that easily,” Katsuki said with madness in his voice, holding up his arm, a grenade pin popping out at the action.

“Young Katsuki! Don’t! You’re going to kill him!” All Might’s voice came over the speaker.

“He won’t die as long as he dodges!” Katsuki replied, pulling the pin.

A massive explosion came from his fist. Izuku barely had time to register and dodge, feeling the back of his costume burn off.

Great. Now he was mostly exposed to his classmates, his shirt completely falling off. At least his pants were mostly intact as he glared at Katsuki.

“Uraraka, what’s going on, do you read me? Answer me! I have a plan if it’s in the room you think it’s in!” Izuku took the time to try to reach out as All Might scolded Katsuki, threatening to end the match if he did that again.

Radio silence. Knowing how Holly fought, it would be a much more silent fight than his own. But then, another voice.

“Deku, Kacchan,” Holly’s voice was always a sweet melody to him, but now it filled him with dread, “I have Ochaco captured. I’ll be waiting.”

Damn. All Might was still talking, so a plan formulated in his mind. Katsuki would strike him now. He pulled out the tape. He’d watched a few of Holly and Katsuki’s spars, predicting that Katsuki would try to psych him out.

“Fine! Then we’ll go hand to hand!” Katsuki charged, yelling, “Since you’re a little stalker, here’s that right hook you were whining about!”

Izuku charged up, neon green sparking around him, gripping the tape. Katsuki’s right fist exploded, just as he knew. Izuku whirled around and through Katsuki’s second explosion, he wrapped the tape around his foe. He tightened it quickly, just like he’d seen Hornet do on TV, and make a knot. One for All made this easy, fast, but he was burned in the chest now.

“What the-” Katsuki looked in shock, now tied up, “You-you!”

“Young Bakugo, you’re out of the game,” All Might’s voice said, “Sit down now. It’s up to your partner.”

Katsuki growled at Izuku, “You think you’re better than me for winning, Deku?”

Izuku’s proud face fell at Katsuki's words.

“No,” He replied, the raw vulnerability grating Katsuki’s nerves, “I wanted to win because I still think you’re amazing, Kacchan.”

Katsuki flinched at his nickname. He hadn’t heard Izuku use that name in years. He growled, but on the inside, he felt his pride crack. Izuku turned and ran away from him.

“Don’t you dare call me that, you lying bastard, always lying about being Quirkless. Were you always lying to us? Laughing behind our backs!?” Katsuki yelled, watching him go. A single tear fell down his face. “Answer me, you bastard!”

Izuku glanced back at Katsuki, who was starting to scream profanities at him. His voice faded away as he raced to the top floor. Izuku wiped his own silent tears.

He thought again to when they were children.

* * *

After they met Holly, a new slew of adventures had opened up. Now a threesome, one who’s Quirk emitted only weak, small sparks. Pretend flares and hero work was their games, the summer days passing by, fun he would always remember.

Izuku remembered Hornet was much more friendlier than other bugs, even the adults, and the boys were surprised to hear when they were allowed sleepovers with their new friend.

“The child is part bug, and genderless in terms of being compared to a human,” He remembered the conversation his mom and Hornet were having.

“Holly’s not genderless,” he had spoken up, then paused, “Wait, what does that even mean?”

“It means she’s just a girl!” Katsuki declared, a small spark in his hands going off, “Girls and boys should be allowed to have sleepovers because she’s awesome! It doesn’t matter that she’s part bug, she looks like a person to me!”

The adults had laughed at them. Katsuki’s mom had taken a picture of that day, when Katsuki slung his arms around both. He still had it, in his room, the three of them smiling up and laughing. Before Holly’s Quirk changed her.

And while Katsuki’s Quirk grew, both had no Quirk to show for it. Katsuki slowly started getting meaner to him while being sweet on Holly, knowing that, for the bugs at least, their Quirks came in slightly later. The entire class began to bully him for it. That same day Holly’s Quirk manifested itself, changing her body to pitch black, light eyes to bright orange as she raised a sword made of markers in challenge as she defended him. Katsuki didn't even defend him. His friend just stared at Izuku, eyes wide. Disbelief as Izuku broke down into tears.

Why did it change? _What_ changed? Katsuki grew distant and slowly more popular as his Quirk grew more spectacular, leaving Izuku behind and Holly slowly beginning to choose, taking turns between her friends. Slowly even he began to join the teasing and taunting, sometimes even taking it-

 _No, focus_ , Izuku thought to himself, _Still one more obstacle._

Izuku reached the top, where Holly was slouched on the bench. He remembered his partner saying she checked the last room, but not if the weapon was there or not. 

“I know you’re awake,” Izuku called out, “Stop pretending that you can even sleep Holly!”

Holly straightened up and looked at Izuku, who was beginning to square up for a fight. She figured she had no chance to properly fight him in the hallway. Standing up, she walked into the room next to her, where the weapon was. 4 and a half minutes until it was over, and she’d have to either delay or capture him. She left the door open to him. No point in closing it now. Taking her nail out of its sheath, she waited for him.

Izuku walked in the doorway, carefully. She was in the middle of the room, holding out her nail in challenge. Behind her, the weapon.

Izuku knew that Holly wasn’t the one to strike first. She would wait for her opponent to make the first move. So he stood there, analyzing a path.

Holly surprised him by leaping forward and striking him away from the doorway, sending him sideways into the room. She struck him hard, again and again. He knew with every strike she would only gain more ways to defeat him, and began to parry her strikes with his forearms. A silent battle of metal on flesh, as Izuku charged up, deciding it was time to use One for All. He’d have to fight back directly, or she’d use her long range blasts against him.

Holly didn’t even grunt as she was struck, nor make any noise. Simply she flew in the air for a moment before coming back down. He dodged, waiting for her temporary invulnerability to end before striking again. He landed three good punches using One for All before she leaped away. Black orbs came from her body. Izuku recognized she was healing herself as little beams of light emitted from her body.

 _No_! Izuku leaped forward, deciding to increase his power output to 1%. _It should be safe_ , he reasoned to himself, _She's healing a little, it_ is _safe_.

He struck Holly square in the mask, where it shattered beneath his fist. He felt the pain of going too far bruise his fists, but not breaking the entire arm like 100% would’ve done.

“Wha-” he panted as Holly’s entire body shattered from the force, scattering as a ghost of herself, wearing the mask even, stared without emotion at him.

“Holly?” He asked carefully, putting a hand over his mouth.

No. No. he didn’t just…He reached out, but the ghost slipped past him. He stared in shock. He couldn’t move. All he could do was stare as tears slipped down his cheeks.

In the monitoring room, the rest of the class gasped in shock.

"He just killed her!" one of the students shouted.

"Sir, what are you going to do?"

"What's going to happen to him?!"

The class burst into mutters and panic, talking amongst themselves. All Might shook, looking at the screens.

"No she's not class," He said, pointing at another screen. There sat Holly, as she sat up straight, still in full costume, "See? Young Hollow is perfectly fine."

The classroom gasped as All Might held up a hand repeating himself, "You see class, our young Hollow is perfectly fine! It seems that this is another facet of her Quirk, the ability to respawn at the last place she sat."

"Like a video game character?' someone asked.

All Might nodded as he watched Holly sneak back in, capture tape in hand. "Just like a video game character."

He noticed footsteps approaching. It was probably All Might. Izuku knew he was going to be expelled now. And he deserved it. He just killed his best friend. Izuku couldn’t hear, all he could see was the ghost, but he felt the string wrap around him.

“Huh?” He looked behind him, to see his best friend tying the capture tape around him.

“Holly!?” He cried out in surprise, “Holy shit I thought I killed you!” 

Holly finished her knot as All Might’s voice declared her team the winner.

“No,” She answered, then grabbed her sword, “I am alive and well.” She leapt to the ghost, attacking it until it was absorbed back into her.

His adrenaline fading, Izuku fell to the floor and passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More backstory! Katsuki and Izuku were really cute kids in the show, and I changed it up a little. Bugs can have Quirks, and those who do are human-sized, for clarity. A lot of bugs do have it, but most don't like associating with humans a lot. They do out of necessity, and most people don't mind. Human children, however, tend to not understand.  
> Hornet doesn't stop the friendship and lets it bloom since she doesn't believe in that sorta racist crap.  
> Katsuki and Izuku were also friends, which I thought might make their friendship falling apart a bit more sad ;w;  
> Izuku gets shocked as he sees Holly's Shade for the first time, because....well it does look like he killed her XD  
> Which is how he loses. But hey, he's getting better at One for All! :D  
> Thanks for reading~


	9. My Sins Now Haunt Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katsuki's pride cracks as he realizes many things. Upon licking his wounds he says sorry in his own, backwards way as he tries to bring back an old normal from their friendship. Izuku is startled at this change of heart that seemed to come from nowhere.
> 
> In the distance, the White Lady calls out a warning for the current user of One for All.

When Izuku left him, Katsuki’s voice became hoarse and sore from the yelling. By himself, his breathing hitched as his own thoughts began to drown him.

He’d heard of how Izuku had completely broken himself in the practicals. Recovery Girl’s kiss restored him, but he remembered Izuku’s finger with the ball challenge. It was completely broken, and he’d only used the very tip of it. 

Was...was Izuku afraid of his own Quirk? His breathing got faster, his thoughts swimming. He could tell whenever someone would hold back, in anything. Izuku was trying his best to not use his Quirk at all, slow to even touch it. He thought back to when he pushed Izuku and screamed at him for daring to enter into UA High, but for once, Izuku stood his ground. No one was around when this happened, no one to step in. Izuku had always been a bug, and not one with a Quirk, he was like those useless gnats and flies, tiny things that you’d swat away with your hands. 

Unless, unless? Katsuki remembered when they were kids, when the rumors began of Izuku being Quirkless. With all the sudden attention, the popularity, he couldn’t handle being an outcast again. He couldn’t handle the loneliness. But did he ever have a friend, a true friend, outside of Izuku and Holly? Someone who cared for him, not his amazing power.

Katsuki was hyperventilating now, eyes wide in shock. Realization struck him. To have a Quirk that hurt you so much would be grounds for people to force him to break his body again and again, until he killed himself from using the Quirk too much. To be labeled as Quirkless would be easier than to announce your Quirk gave you backlash. Where they grew up, as the youngest, they were the easiest pickings. Izuku was holding back so, so much more than anyone would realize. 

_I wanted to win because I still think you’re amazing, Kacchan._ Those words, the _way_ he said it. As if he still held out hope he’d break out of the peer pressure, stop caring about what they thought. 

Was it even possible? Even after all these years, after Katsuki burned the bridge a million times, even going so far as to tell Izuku to kill himself, that idiot still reached out a hand in friendship? 

“Young Katsuki,” He felt All Might’s huge hands rest on his shoulder, beginning to snap him out, “Cool your jets. It’s time for your review. Win or lose, there’s always something to learn.”

Katsuki’s eyes were still wide, and he was shaking as he took off the capture tape. He caught a glimpse of Izuku on a stretcher. Holly emerged from behind, walking up to him. Katsuki looked down and away from her searching eyes, his panic attack filling him with shame.

When they got back, Katsuki’s ears still rang. His eyes remained wide. He couldn’t put out these thoughts, Izuku’s words. He barely registered why he wasn’t chosen as the top student in the exercise. He knew why. His personal grudge. He wasn’t surprised Holly won, given how, looking at the tape, she so easily deceived both. Even using the Shade of hers to freak out Izuku like it had freaked him out when he first saw it. He agreed with that girl, every word she said. It was a stupid move, what he did.

He watched as everyone else did the challenge. The kid named Shoto completely froze over the villains and scored the win in less than a minute. 

Katsuki’s eyes widened at how easily he did it. Completely and utterly stopping any chance the other team had. His Quirk didn’t let him feel any coldness, and he glanced at Holly to see her reaction. Of course, all he saw was the emptiness of her face, but he could tell she was studying Shoto and his power as he carefully melted everyone.

The rest of the class was mostly a daze after that. He didn’t want to watch the training anymore. Katsuki was sick to his stomach. Well, his stomach had been hurting for a while. Did Izuku land a hit on him? He hadn’t noticed until he began throwing up blood. 

“Young Katsuki, straight to the nurse’s office with you!” All Might ordered immediately upon seeing this, “You didn’t tell me you were hurt! Go! Now!” 

“Fuck,” he muttered, face red from anger and embarrassment. All Might held a note for him and he grabbed it angrily, stalking off, still clutching his stomach.

“Two patients?” Recovery Girl asked in surprise, then her face scrunched up, “So you were the one that burned him this badly!” She gestured to Izuku, who was sleeping in the bed. Katsuki only recognized his hair, as he was in a bed that let his back be exposed, but a hole in a spot so he could still breathe. Recovery Girl quickly closed the curtain and put Katsuki in another bed next to Izuku and began to work on Katsuki.

“Well dearie, internal bleeding is a completely different matter,” Recovery Girl said, kissing him on the forehead, “It takes longer and more stamina from the body. I’m going to have to keep you for at least an hour to make sure you don’t bleed to death.”  
“What?!” He almost shouted, but went into a coughing fit, bringing out more blood.

“Calm down,” Recovery Girl pushed him down, “I can get you your schoolwork for your next class but you might have to be here for more than that.”

Katsuki growled in annoyance, but did as he was told. Recovery Girl got another IV stand and began a new drip on him.

“This will take an hour, hopefully your body will be completely healed.”

Katsuki nodded at her, glad when she closed the curtain to give him some privacy. He hated being hurt. Others could see him as weak. As Recovery Girl left him and began doing paperwork, he began to feel the kiss she left him drain him of energy. He recognized Izuku’s soft snores. It hadn’t changed one bit.

He felt his pride crack and his anger rise. He couldn’t tell if it was aimed at Izuku or himself, but then came the tiredness. He tried to keep his eyes open so he could do his schoolwork, but his eyelids grew so heavy he fell asleep.

* * *

In Katsuki’s dreams, he was reliving a memory. The whispers of being Quirkless began for Deku, and instead of ignoring Katsuki, the other kids began to pick on him. Three boys in particular, who’s Quirks had developed early. They were all 6 at the time, while he barely turned 5.

“Why are you hanging out with that Quirkless freak?” one of the boys taunted.

“He’s not a freak!” Kacchan said, holding up his fists, “Stop saying that!”

Another using his new Quirk of enlarging his limbs to push him down and choke him. Katsuki defended by grabbing the limb and setting off an explosion. The boy let go and Katsuki growled.

“He’s a freak and you’re a weakling for hanging out with him! You’re wasting such a cool Quirk!” Another said.

Katsuki couldn’t even remember their names. Just that they got into a fight. It left Katsuki with a bloody nose and a black eye, but he busted two of them really good. The remaining one stood over him and spat on him as Katsuki cried silently.

“Such a waster, you’ll never become a hero if you hang out with weaklings!” he said as the other two got up. They all spat on him, and he got in trouble for starting a fight Katsuki didn’t even want.

The dream faded. His second fight Holly was there by his side, her new black body in stark contrast to the silver dress Hornet dressed her in. Izuku was behind them, terrified to the point of no words, but holding out his fists, ready. Quirkless he still was, Izuku wouldn’t run away. But Katsuki was beginning to change his mind about his best friend. Deku was beginning to bring the trouble to him.

With Holly, they beat the utter crap out of now 5 boys, some being a few years older. All three got into trouble that time. As they sat in time-out, Izuku looked at Katsuki and smiled, grabbing his hand.

“Hey, you were really good! And I can still fight, even without a Quirk!” There were tears in Izuku’s eyes when he said that.

Katsuki slapped away his friend's hand and looked away.

“Kacchan, that hurt my feelings!” Deku cried.

“And they keep trying to hurt me because of you!” Katsuki stood up and yelled, “This is the second time I’ve gotten into trouble because you're useless Deku! Deku probably means worthless because that’s what you are!”

Deku burst into tears and the teachers separated them.

The dream shifted again. This is when Katsuki began to ignore his old friend, slowly turning into one of the bullies. He dreamed through the memories of how Holly gazed at him sadly as they just began taking turns playing with her. And to keep the others off he began to pick on Deku actively, trying to start fights, screaming and yelling abuse at him, physically hurting him when Holly wasn’t around. The memories flashed by as in the final thing he saw, he and Deku were charging at each other, screaming, before their fists met and a flash bomb went off.

* * *

Katsuki opened his eyes, looking up at the clock. A little over an hour had passed. He sat up. He was still tired, the restless, senseless dream giving him no help. Honestly, Katsuki felt like shit. Outside, he could hear the chatter of students. It was the passing period, and he could hear their shuffle and mutters through the closed door.

“Rise and shine,” Recovery Girl walked to him, “The IV is finished and you’ve woken up just in time! Do you feel better?”

“My stomach’s still a little sore,” Katsuki admitted, and noticed Izuku’s soft snores again.

“Pull up your shirt and let me see,” Recovery Girl commanded, and Katsuki obeyed. Katsuki was surprised at the fading yellow and brown bruise. So Izuku _did_ nail him in the stomach.

“Well it looks a lot better than it did earlier,” Recovery Girl commented, “You’re almost healed. I won’t kiss you again today, as you still seem exhausted. If it’s still bothering you, come back tomorrow. But if you throw up more blood, come back immediately!”

Katsuki nodded as she began pulling out the IV and began to wrap his arm. Katsuki noticed at the foot of his bed his school uniform.

“Ah, yes, one of your friends came by and dropped your regular clothes off along with your bag,” Recovery Girl said, noticing Katsuki looking at the clothing in confusion, “A midnight colored human-like bug with bright orange eyes.”

Katsuki nodded, sighing as he leaned back into the bed, waiting for Recovery Girl to leave so he could change out of his clothes. When she closed the curtains he heard someone else enter.

“Ah Mr. M, you look exhausted. What brings you here?” Recovery Girl’s voice floated through the curtains.

“I wanted to check on the students. I’m guessing young Bakugo is awake then?” a soft, tired male voice replied.

“Indeed he is, and he’s getting ready for his next class. All Might should’ve stopped that fight dead in its tracks, considering both of those boys got themselves very hurt.”

Katsuki peeked through the curtains, curious. He recognized the voice, but from where, he didn’t know.

He let out a small gasp of shock. He recognized that man! A blonde man who looked to only be made of bones, he was always soft spoken and gentle. When he would sometimes spend the day over at Holly’s house, Hornet would have this guy as a guest. She always called him Mr. M. Katsuki could never figure out his Quirk, but he assumed Hornet and him were dating, and that he must have an amazing Quirk to be around Hornet as often as he was.

“Mr. M?” Katsuki asked, confused, “What are you doing here?”

“Young Bakugo,” Mr. M greeted him with warmth, “you don’t have to hide from me! I work here as part of the staff, although the job I do makes it hard to recognize me when I’m on duty.”

Katsuki looked away angrily, “Well, I’m not done changing!”

Mr. M laughed, “I’ve seen you in nothing but socks before, you were always an interesting kid.”

“Shut up,” Katsuki replied forcefully, “Don’t you dare tell anyone about that you bastard!”

Mr. M grinned at him as Katsuki pushed the curtains back and hurriedly changed out of his clothes, red in the face at such a stupid memory. He finished changing, carefully putting away his hero costume before opening the curtain with more force than if he was calm.

“Are you OK?” Mr. M asked, “And not just the injury. You seem troubled.”

Katsuki gave an angry glance at Mr. M, then at Recovery Girl. He’d known Mr. M didn’t really give out secrets, and he trusted him enough.

“I’m pissed at Deku for hiding his Quirk from me,” Katsuki growled out his answer, “I think I know why, but I’m still pissed off at him. He should’ve told me!”

“From what I understood you two were the youngest boys,” Mr. M answered, “being picked on for not yet developing a Quirk can make some children hide their Quirks from others.”

“But from his _best fucking friend?_ ” Katsuki said through gritted teeth, “Sure, I wasn’t the nicest after I developed my Quirk, but we were still friends!”

Mr. M shook his head and put a gentle hand on Katsuki’s shoulder. “As an adult, from the distance, all I saw was two boys slowly drifting apart over years of unknown troubles.”

Katsuki shook, his own anger boiling again. He shrugged off Mr. M’s hand and stormed off, hurrying to his next class. He didn’t want to admit that Mr. M was probably right. Not to his face. Never. Katsuki’s pride cracked again at even an outsider calling out the distance. Mr. M had no idea what Katsuki’d done. How he burned their bridge. 

His concentration was shot for the rest of the day. While his classmates saw him and tried to talk to him, Katsuki blew them off. He sulked in his seat, and his teachers were merciful enough to not call on him. He just growled at everyone, or looked intimidating. Katsuki was smart enough to know he was beginning to burn his own bridges at even becoming remotely liked, but unlike his last two schools, it wasn’t for his connections to Deku. No one from that part of the city even attended this school save for the 3 of them. No, he was burning them all on his own. 

Katsuki scribbled in his notebook, leaving angry faces and crudely drawn explosions on the page. The pencil broke in his hand from the force. 

The idea that everything had been his fault was hurting him so much.

* * *

In the dream Izuku was staring at Katsuki, who was giving him that cocky yet friendly smile. Izuku smiled back, but the next second they were older, walking away from each other. Izuku’s face twisted into furry, hurt and betrayal towards his old friend for becoming one of the bullies they swore to never become. Now in his hero uniform he turned to throw a punch. His fist met Katsuki’s as the world exploded, the force throwing them both back. Katsuki got up, crying, screaming at Deku, calling him a liar, a traitor, how dare he, how dare-

Izuku woke up, his face towards the floor. Surprised, he tried to get up, only to cry out in pain. It felt like his entire back had suffered from a terrible sunburn.

“Oh dear, you’re awake!” Izuku felt Recovery Girl’s hands on him, helping him sit up, “Sorry about that, it was the best way for the burn cream to help you out on top of my Quirk. How are you feeling?”  
“It feels like I got a nasty sunburn,” Izuku said sleepily, looking up at the clock. He let out a small, surprised sound as he saw that school was nearly ending. He missed the rest of his afternoon classes!

“Well, that’s a lot better than those second-degree burns you had earlier,” Recovery Girl said, “I’ve been checking your back and re-applying burn cream as I healed you, and it just looks more of a milder sunburn now, although it still may sting if you lay on your back.”

“Well, that’s good,” Izuku said, looking at his fist, which had bruises that were dark purple and brown.

“No broken bones in the fists, thank goodness,” Recovery Girl informed him, “Just mild bruising. If I didn’t know better it would look like you punched a wall. You got carried away using your power on someone who doesn’t even get hurt! What were you thinking?”

“I thought my body would handle it,” Izuku admitted, letting out a nervous chuckle, then blushed, “I didn’t mean to hit her so hard like that.” Izuku ran a finger over the sore bruise, thinking about how he should apologize.

“You also hit that other boy so hard he began to vomit blood. Don’t get so carried away next time!”  
“Blood?” he gasped in surprise “Is he OK? I didn’t even realize I landed a hit on him in the heat of the moment,” Izuku said.

“He’s fine, he’s fine, but you used more than 1% of your power boy.” Recovery Girl patted his hand at Izuku’s shocked face, “It’s OK, you’re getting better, but some practice in control would do you well. Now get changed, one of your friends dropped off your things for you while you were out. Your last class is about to end and I don’t want you to drop off your hero costume looking half-naked. I’ll heal you more tomorrow.”

“Yes ma’am,” Izuku replied as the Recovery Girl closed his curtain so he could change.

The burn made putting on clothes hard. Izuku had to put on his shirt last, and he let out a small inhale as the clotch stung on his skin. It wasn’t the worst pain he’s felt- hell, breaking all of your leg and one of your arm bones was really bad- but it was more of an inconvenience. 

“Agh,” Izuku let out another exhale of pain as he put on his coat. He was aware of it with each step he took. Definitely a little different than breaking all of his bones. Katsuki really did a number on him. Adrenaline, he concluded, was one hell of a drug.

The final bell rang, and the rush of high schoolers running home filled the nurse’s office. At least the teachers might still be around to pick up the late work

Izuku tried to put on his backpack. Immediately he took it off, the harsh sting making it feel like the entire area had set itself on fire. Instead Izuku held it in one hand as he walked slowly back to class. He figured Mr. Aizawa was going to choke him out with his scarf for missing so many classes. 

The walk back wasn’t the worst. Since it was mostly his upper back Izuku found his legs worked the same. That was good. A few of the last remaining students milled about, slowly leaving.

When he entered class 1-A there were still a few students there. 

“Hey it’s Midoriya! Good to see you back super!” one of them greeted him instantly, the kid with bright red hair. Izuku was startled at this greeting as the remainder of the class rushed him. 

“Man, I don’t know what you were saying during that match, but you were all fired up!” The same kid raised his fist, grinning ear to ear at him.

“I can’t believe you held your own against Bakugo! Even though you lost, you won against him!” Another said, the one with jet black hair and really thick elbows.

“You did a great job dodging!” The purple girl with bug-like horns cheered excitedly.

“You guys really turned up in the first match so none of us held back in our matches!” The biggest of them said. Izuku only knew them by faces, not quite getting their names or Quirks yet. He was a bit disappointed not seeing everyone’s Quirk in action.

“Your dodging was like whoa!” the purple girl said.

Izuku, overwhelmed with the sudden positive attention, looked at the four of them confused, not knowing what to do or say.

“I’m Eijiro Kirishima,” the red-haired one said, giving Izuku a wink, pointing at the black-haired kid, “We’ve been going over training results while you were in recovery. “

“Hi,” the black haired one said, smiling as well, “I’m Hanta Sero.”

“I’m Mino Ashido,” The purple haired girl waved her hands, hopping from foot to foot, “And I just gotta say, your dodging was awesome!”

From behind Mino, Izuku saw what he only knew as the one with the frog-like Quirk stuck her head out from Mino. 

“Tsuyu Asui,” the frog-girl said, “But please call me Sue.”

“Hey, Sato,” The biggest said. 

Izuku looked back and forth at everyone, the positive attention making him unsure. He was sweating nervously as he made his way inside the classroom to put away his ruined costume.

“Um. Hey guys,” Izuku said, a nervous laugh coming out of the greeting.

“And my name’s Minoru!” Izuku jumped back as the kid with purple balls on his head jumped up at him. He wasn’t expecting that. He bumped into the wall and let out a small hiss of pain at the pressure hitting his back.

“Ah, Sorry,” Izuku quickly said to his classmates, “My back still isn’t fully healed yet. It’s still really sensitive.”

He noticed Iida yelling at that kid with a crow’s head about sitting on the desk, amused at how unrelaxed he was. It looked like nearly everyone was still in class for some reason. He nearly crashed into Uraraka as he looked around.

“Oh, sorry!” He said nervously, bumping into the wall again and letting out another involuntary hiss.

“Midoriya! How are you? Didn’t Recovery Girl heal you all the way?” She asked him as Izuku grit his teeth as the next small wave of the slow burning throb went down his spine.

“It has something to do with my stamina,” Izuku answered through his teeth, waiting for the throb to die down. His eyes wandered the room again as he tried to not let it get to him too badly. Heroes have to fight through the pain of battle all the time after all. He looked at Katsuki’s desk, then at Holly’s. Neither were there.

“Uhm, where’s Kacchan? And Holly?” Izuku asked curiously.

“Oh, you just missed them,” Uraraka said, looking out the door, “We tried to stop them, but Bakugo has been in an awful mood since you beat him. Hollow just sort of followed him.”

Izuku quickly dropped his stuff on his desk and, despite his injuries, sped out of the doors.

At this point the halls were empty. Izuku ran down the stairs, and out of the windows to the front yard he could see both his friends walking slowly away.

In his mind he could hear Katsuki screaming at him for being a liar. For laughing behind his back.

It wasn’t true! Izuku burst through the front doors, Katsuki deserved to know as well! They were friends, and since Holly knew, he should know as well.

“Kacchan! Wait up!” Izuku called out to the pair of them.

Katsuki stopped dead on his tracks as Holly turned around to look at Izuku. Katsuki slowly glanced over his shoulder.

“What?” He growled.

Izuku stopped and gasped, holding a defensive hand. He quickly relaxed, letting out a sigh.

Izuku realized that only one other person knew this secret, and that was by association. But… she was also right there. Holly wasn’t known for giving out information, no matter how deep or juicy it was. He looked at her shyly. She seemed to know what he was going to say and gave him a single nod.

“I have to tell you something,” Izuku finally said, “Maybe then, you’ll understand what’s been going on. I wasn’t hiding my Quirk from you. It was given to me by someone else. Recently.”

Katsuki let out a grunt in disbelief, but didn’t say anything.

“But I can’t tell you who I got it from, so don’t ask!” Izuku continued, a bit encouraged by Katsuki’s silence, “It sounds crazy, I know! Like something out of a comic. Only it’s real. I know Quirkless people can’t even use those Charms the bugs have made, but I swear, I’m not lying to you,” Izuku was looking down at the ground. “The thing is, I don’t really have good control over this power yet. I haven’t figured out how to make it my own, but I’m trying.”

Katsuki’s face twisted into anger, but he let his old friend finish what he was saying.

“That’s why I didn’t want to use it against you in the exercise. I was afraid I’d hurt you. And by the sounds of it, I did! And I didn’t even realize it. I’m sorry about that, but in the end it was the only chance I had at winning. I’ve still got a lot to learn, I know that. That’s why I’m here!”

Katsuki had fully turned around, his entire body shaking. Izuku looked up at him, and looked him dead in the eyes, “You’ll see. I’ll work until I have full control over this borrowed Quirk. And I’ll finally beat you with my own power!”

With these final words Katsuki just froze and stared at Izuku, eyes wide in shock. Izuku, realizing what he’d said, stared back, eyes wide. Holly looked between the two, deciding to not get in between them. While Katsuki looked like he wanted to punch out Deku’s lights, he made no other indication that he would actually do so.

“How dumb do you think I am?” Katsuki’s growled answer came back, “‘Borrowed power?’ Don’t talk to me like I’m an idiot. You already made a fool of me in that damn training exercise. So?” Izuku noticed that Katsuki wasn’t looking him in the face, but instead away, “Did you come to rub it in? I lost, and to make matters worse it was to you!” Katsuki’s body shook again, as if he was holding himself back, “I came in first in the exam but that’s not enough!” Katsuki yelled at Izuku, “When I was watching that ice guy, I realized I couldn’t beat him in a head-to-head fight!” He facepalmed and looked at the sky, yelling again, “Shit! I even agreed with what that girl said! MY attacks were so stupid! Damn it!” His hands flew back to his side, and Izuku saw tears coming down his face, “Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it!”

Holly put a hand on his shoulder, and Katsuki hid his face, wiping his tears with his fingers.

“I know why you didn’t tell me about your fucking Quirk when you first got it, you bastard. Stop making up this bullshit. It won’t stop me from becoming the number one hero.”

Izuku’s face went from shock to determination. Katsuki swiftly turned around to walk away. 

“No, leave me the fuck alone right now, please,” Katsuki told her, and Holly stopped. Katsuki looked over his shoulders at the pair he was leaving behind, “I better see you both at the fucking meet up spot tomorrow.”

Izuku’s eyes widened. The meetup spot? He could hardly believe Katsuki still remembered its existence, it had been years. Holly walked over to Izuku and gave him a shoulder pat.

Both noticed All Might jump in from out of nowhere and put a hand on Katsuki’s shoulder. While they didn’t hear what was said, they just noticed Katsuki walking off, alone.

“So, what were you three talking about?” All Might jumped towards them, “It sounded really important.”

“Uhm, nothing!” Izuku put up his hands, “Right Holly? It was nothing!”

“Nothing,” Holly mimicked Izuku’s nervous voice, mixing it into her own, “Nothing really important!”

“Really? That doesn’t sound like nothing!” All Might put his hand to his ear and leaned in close to the pair of them, “Come on, you can tell me!”

“Uh, well, I forgot!” Izuku lied, and Holly decided that some people might laugh at how All Might was acting, so she let out a nearly-genuine sounding laugh. 

* * *

* * *

Later that night, deep in a beautiful garden and bound in chains, a beautiful bug known as the White Lady opened Her eyes. Her glowing white hair waved in unseen wind. She could sense it. Sense the Radiance slowly crawling out of the prison that was so carefully constructed. And She could sense Her enemy’s followers beginning to plot against Her bugs and the humans alike.

“Our Vessel is not as pure as we thought,” She whispered into the wind, Her hair twitching, “Bearer of One for All, beware. Enemies of my King are coming. May my blessing reach you, and may another Vessel guide you to defeat it.” Her hair pulsated, white strands reaching out. The White Lady's eyes glowed as she sent her message. 

In his sleep, Izuku sat up straight. One for All's power let out a hum through his skin as he felt something warning him of future danger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was more of a internal chapter, but I enjoyed writing it! I spent most of the day looking for my keys so I would've had this done sooner if it weren't for the panic of WHERE THE HELL ARE MY KEYS.  
> As you can tell, Katsuki's backstory is greatly changed! :D  
> From a kind soul to someone who accidentally let popularity and positive attention get to his head and the avoidance of getting hurt himself. While Katsuki loves getting into fights, he didn't like being constantly compared to a weakling and getting called weak. So he eventually turned on Izuku to get it to stop. Which sucks because he platonically loved Izuku quite a bit. It was a bad cycle on both of them, but getting out of that environment, hopefully they can rebuild it! TwT
> 
> I mentioned Charms briefly, and since that chapters not out, here's a tiny bit of SPOILER for anyone too impatient :D  
> SO SPOILER ON CHARMS:  
> Bugs can make Charms that hold a tiny piece of their Quirk that other bugs and humans can use. You need a special necklace made by spiders and grubs, and adding more notches cost quite a bit since Bugs use a different for of currency for this stuff called Geo. Charms can only be bought from other bugs, if they've bothered making a business out of it. Most Bugs' Quirks are just getting bigger and gaining intelligence, although some have a Quirk beyond that. Those make Charms to sell for even higher prices than the initial necklace, but it's worth it since they almost never break and the benefits greatly outweigh the cost.  
> Only those with Quirks can handle using Charms, and you can only use so many before they begin to do more harm than good (Like being over-charmed in the game. You take twice as many hits). It's why Deku said he wasn't using a Charm. The Quirkless die 100% of the time using a Charm. Izuku could use one however, as he now has his own Quirk (yay).
> 
> Thanks for reading guys <3 Love your comments!


	10. White Palace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku and Holly are surprised by Katsuki's turn around, although Katsuki refuses to acknowledge anything. The press bring out the Kingsmoulds that are guarded around the school, and Izuku and Holly take a brief journey around the White Palace. Holly obtains half a charm.  
> The class sit and chat as they begin day three at the school on a mini field trip across campus. Izuku can't shake off the feeling of dread.

Izuku was still on edge when he woke up. His Quirk sang, causing small bolts of green to burst from his body without his consent.

“Izuku, honey what’s wrong?” His mom asked him, concerned over her son’s power at the breakfast table.

“I...I don’t know mom,” Izuku confessed, “Something’s wrong. I feel like...something’s going to happen today.”

“Did you want to stay home?”

“No!” Izuku said forcefully, and he backed off when his mom jumped back, “Sorry. A true hero wouldn’t quit because of an uneasy feeling!”

His mom smiled at him, and as Izuku scarfed down his breakfast, he wanted to bolt and call All Might. Maybe he would know what’s up.

“Vye ma,” Izuku said through a full mouth, swallowing the last of his breakfast. He didn’t hear her reply but quickly tried to call All Might.

Dial tone.

Izuku looked at his phone as if it betrayed him as he jogged to the meetup spot. To his surprise, Katsuki was waiting on him with Holly.

“Uhm...isn’t it Wednesday?” Izuku asked nervously.

“Yeah, so? I told you you’d better be here,” Katsuki replied, annoyed. He began walking to the train that would take them all to the school, glancing at Izuku’s face, “Don’t give me that look Deku!”

Deku and Holly ran to catch up. The pair looked at each other, then looked at Katsuki.

“Kacchan, does this mean I no longer have to take turns?” Holly asked.

“Well I’m not going to be pissed off anymore if you choose whoever,” Katsuki replied harshly, then sighed. “Look, I’ve been an asshole for the past several years. And heroes aren’t assholes. Heroes don’t make people choose their friends like I have been.”

Izuku’s eyes lit up, the distraction helping him regain control over the Quirk. “Kacchan, that’s amazing! I’m so happy to hear that!” He slapped his hands together excitedly.

“Damn it Deku, why is it that you’re the girliest out of all of us when Holly over here is the girl?”

“Kacchan, I am genderless,” Holly said plainly, “Let Deku be our girl.”

“You guys are such mood killers,” Deku muttered, hiding his face as they got on the train.

On the train Holly pulled out her phone, bringing on the news. She scrolled through the feed, eyes landing on a particular headline.

_The Radiance- Is She Coming Back? News from the World of Bugs_

Holly clicked on it. It wasn’t often that news came from the underworld of bugs, where a surprising amount had chosen to stay underground.

“Oh, I heard about that,” Katsuki said, looking over her shoulder, “Some guys went down that well in Dirtmouth illegally and found some of the lesser intelligent bugs beginning to develop orange eyes and acting really robotic.”

“Really?” Izuku said, now looking over her shoulder as well, “Shouldn’t the Hollow Knight hero be able to contain her well? From what I understand, the 3 dreamers and Hollow Knight sealed it away when we were little.”

“Those humans have been quarantined anyways,” Holly replied to both, “We cannot risk weaker-willed humans to let Radiance influence them. I am surprised they were not killed on the spot. The residents of Dirtmouth are not kind to those who are not authorized to check upon the Hollow Knight’s sealing. Unless you’re a bug trying to get to another part of the old, underground kingdom with an escort, one should not be going down there.”

Katsuki and Izuku looked at each other, a bit shocked, then looked at Holly.

“That would be bad at helping diminish the racism between bugs and humans,” Izuku said nervously, “I know Hornet is mainly the number 11 because being part spider freaks out a lot of people.”

Holly put away the device as their stop came up, “That may be, but Hornet first thought I was infected when she saw me after my Quirk developed. She said an idea was corrupted in my mind, and to be of any use I would have to purify myself.”

“What do you mean by that?” Izuku asked.

“I do not know what that even meant at the time,” Holly explained truthfully, “I just know that while I am the last, I am not a pure vessel.”

Izuku felt frustrated at these answers on what she meant, but decided to drop it. Sometimes the bugs would talk strangely, with idioms that didn’t translate well to humans. Maybe this was Holly’s way of saying Hornet thought she had been infected with Radiance’s influence and there was a specific way to purge yourself of it.

That feeling of dread sunk into Izuku again, a feeling that today, something would happen as he got off the bus. A horde of journalists was in front of the entrance, and Izuku could hear his homeroom teacher’s voice yelling at them to leave. 

He felt Holly put a hand on his shoulder, and glanced back to see Katsuki put one on Holly’s.

“Lead the way Deku,” Holly said, and together they managed to squeeze by the tightly-knit crowd.

The doors slammed behind the three as a journalist sprinted after them, causing them all to jump in surprise. All of the windows shut themselves, and Kingsmoulds popped from the ground.

“Kingsmoulds!” Izuku cried, looking at the now wandering constructs, “I didn’t realize they guarded the school!”

“Deku, have you forgotten, this used to be the Pale King’s Palace. He donated everything to become a center of learning after the Hollow Knight was sealed.”

Izuku, in his wide-eyes state, rubbed the back of his head and laughed, “Yeah, I did, just...got over excited. As a human I don’t get to have the privilege of looking at a lot of old bug artifacts.”

“Come on ya nerds, we’re going to be late,” Katsuki huffed at the both of them, walking to class.

While catching up, a particular Kingsmould caught Holly’s eye. This one had been summoned, but darkness leaked out of it, as if it was broken. Something called Holly to take a closer look at it.

“Hey, Holly, are you OK?” Izuku stopped and grabbed her shoulder to turn her to him.

Holly ignored him, the Dream Nail beginning to manifest in her hand. With Izuku still holding on she struck the Kingsmould, and both disappeared in a flash.

* * *

Izuku opened his eyes and sat up. He looked around frantically, confused. He spotted Holly slowly getting up, taking a look of their surroundings.

“Where are we?!” He asked, looking still.

“It appears to be the school,” Holly replied, gazing at the building slowly.

Izuku looked at the building and gasped. It was beautifully white, ornate carvings on the pillars as it stretched as high as the school. In fact, the school seemed even bigger than it normally was. Vines climbed the walls with carvings into even the windows, as the palace was guarded with what he recognized as bug-made Seals of Binding. There were platforms floating in the distance, and there was an air of absolute peace.

“Holly, what did you do?” Izuku asked, “Everyone’s going to freak out!”

“As it called me to do,” Holly looked upwards, towards the top, “Look, Deku. That may be an exit.”

Izuku looked up, seeing another story on top of where the roof was supposed to end.

“What makes you say that’s a way out?” He turned to Holly, who had begun to try and find the first platform to jump to.

“Do you not hear it? Do you not feel it calling your name?” Holly asked him, pausing to look, “Stop your worry and listen to its call, and we will be able to leave this place.”

Izuku looked at Holly, then nodded. He breathed in and exhaled slowly. He felt his Quirk vibrate beneath his skin. The same one as this morning that told him of danger, now, a different one called.

_No cost too great. Bearers of One for All, deliver me another._

Izuku gazed at the platforms, One for All charging up. He felt it in here. This was no longer his reality. Here, 100% would not harm him. But that didn’t mean the buzzsaws above wouldn’t slice him if he tried just jumping straight to the top.

“Over there,” he pointed to the lowest platform, “we should start there.”

Holly walked towards it and both hopped on. The palace suddenly seemed to come alive, more platforms and ornate spikes appearing, all leading to the top.

“It’s like an obstacle course,” Deku breathed at the sight of it. But the power hummed within him, as if he was meant to do this. The neon lightning came, and Izuku felt One for All sing through his veins, as if it had been waiting to be unleashed. He hopped with Holly with ease, jumping over spikes and even buzzsaws as he watched her carefully maneuver forward after him. Her Quirk didn’t give the same speed, nor agility, so Holly had to be careful to go around. She had to time her slower jumps much more carefully, or rick being impaled or spikes going through her.

As they jumped platform to platform, Izuku noticed within the building itself, bugs bowing towards them. He saw what looked like a dark science room, and a nursery. 

After what seemed to be an eternity, they reached the very top of the school.

“Holly, look,” Izuku pointed to a part of the palace roof that had already been broken, “Down there.”

“Izuku, use your Quirk and take us there,” Holly commanded.

Deku crouched down and Holly jumped onto his back, riding piggyback style. He was surprised to feel no pain from the previous day’s burn. With a cry Izuku jumped, aiming for the hole. He slightly missed as he heard and felt Holly crash through the sharp edges.

“Are you OK?” He carefully put her down when they landed, examining his friend closely.

Holly stood up and nodded, lights glowing around as she healed. She looked behind Izuku to another platform, big and black. They approached it and saw more bugs bowing not to Izuku but to Holly, almost laying on the floor they bowed so deeply.

Aside from the roof they came in from, it was dark. There looked to be another level in front of that Holly jumped on, then held out her hand for Deku to wait. Izuku looked at her, betrayed at first, but then decided that she might know better than him about how the world of bugs would work and would call him when he could cross.

Holly walked across the floor, her light feet barely making a sound. There upon a great throne sat a bug, slouched. His mask was more of a crown as he donned a pale, flowing cloak. Holly recognized his description to match that of the Pale King. He was hidden, unseen, in a similar plane to the school. The school was still His palace, in which He ruled with unseen eyes.

As Holly approached the Pale King fell to the floor, His mask cracking, something He was clutching in His claws clattering away. Holly knelt down to His body, briefly touching it. 

Dead.

With her Dream Nail she struck His body, seeing if she could glean information from it.

_...No cost too great…_

She struck again.

_...False one… you can not… reach me… here..._

Nothing useful on how to leave His palace, then. Something in her empty mind was asking her to stop, so she did. But the moment that faded something else compelled her to sit on the throne before she would pick up what He dropped. 

She glowed bright in the seat, a feeling of the King’s power coursing through her. Holly remembered that Hornet said that Pale King was their father, and that’s how they were related. Sitting upon His throne, she finally understood this to be true. Getting up, she walked to what the King dropped.

It was half of a beautifully carved white charm. It looked as it was supposed to make a face, the face of the King. The charm glowed, dreamcatchers filling the eyes of both teenagers.

* * *

The next moment, they were in the teacher’s lounge, having been teleported in front of All Might in his deflated form and the principal.

“All Might! Principal Neu!” Izuku exclaimed in surprise, looking around, “I have no idea how we got here!”

Nezu sipped his tea in contentment, looking at the pair. “Well, I do. One of the constructs teleported you here. They do that to certain bug students sometimes, although you’re the first human to have the honor of being teleported to my location.”

“Uhm,” Izuku’s face went from shock to embarrassment, “T-thanks?”

Nezu’s phone rang and he picked it up. “Yes, Mr. Aizawa? Oh, they’re fine, they're with me. I’ll send them to class shortly.” He looked at Holly and Izuku, “Well it looks like one of your friends had a mild panic attack and tried to attack that dead construct in the front yard.”

Holly was still looking at the Pale King’s half charm, turning it in her hands carefully. All Might noticed and leaned forward in his seat. “What’s that young Hollow?”

Holly held the charm for All Might, showing its ornate carvings. All Might’s eyes widened.

“That’s half of the Pale King’s charm,” He said, “Where did you get it?”

“The Pale King,” Holly replied.

“The Pale King has been missing for 11 years,” Nezu said, “And I know you have never met him.”

Izuku’s eyes widened as he stared at the principal. Did he not know how the constructs worked?

“We were in a different place sir,” He explained, “There were bugs everywhere. It was like, like the entire school was a palace! Even reality itself felt different!”

Nezu took another sip of his tea, “Well, this place certainly was a palace before it got converted into a school nearly 12 years ago.”

All Might coughed out blood, “Sir you make me feel old! That was 12 years ago?!”

“Well, the Hollow Knight sacrificed himself around that time, but the Pale King converted this place into a place of learning a little beforehand for the Hollow Knight himself. Perhaps saying he converted this into a place of learning 20 years ago when the Hollow Knight was born would be more accurate,” Nexu said calmly, “It doesn’t look as beautiful as it once did, but it’s still as grand. Now it looks too much like a human school. I would have preferred to keep all of those plants and carvings myself.” He looked back at the teenagers, “Well, you two should hurry along before class begins. Don’t let this old man ramble and keep you.”

“Yes sir,” They both said, and left.

The principal didn’t know about where they went. Well, to Izuku it was more like a dream. He looked at his friend, who had pocketed the half charm.

“Where did you get that, really?” He asked.

“The Pale King was there Deku, but He was long since dead,” Holly answered, “And yet, a part of us was called to Him and He was clutching this.”

“Well, it’s not much use if it’s only half a charm,” Izuku said, “But, that’s really sad. Why was He even there?”

“I do not know,” Holly replied, “His fading light still remains. They say He went mad after the Hollow Knight was sealed. That place is most likely real, and where he disappeared to.”

Izuku put a hand to his chin, beginning to mutter to himself as he thought. He remembered the Pale King’s voice in his mind, calling him as a bearer of One for All, to bring him another. Was Holly another? Another what though? Clearly the Pale King had waited so long He had died, holding a partly complete charm. And what kind of charm was it? There weren’t many records of the King’s Quirk, except for the constructs, and that he supposedly could steal the Souls of others and use it as weaponry. The constructs didn’t seem to be a likely Quirk of the King however. He was called the Pale King for a reason, always emitting a beautiful, pale glow. The constructs seemed to be just mechanical, powered by what looked like a special bug-made oil.

Izuku thought hard of these things as he walked into class, only to be surprised when Katsuki shoved him into a wall. Izuku cried out in both surprise and pain as the burn shot through his back as Kacchan got into his face.

“Damn it Deku why’d you have to go and make me think you got turned into dust!” He screamed in his face. Izuku held out his hands, ready to defend himself when Katsuki was swiftly pulled off of him. Mr. Aizawa had him in his scarf and was looking at Katsuki with disdain.

“Control yourself,” He said dully, “I told you those things just teleport other students to the principal sometimes. No one knows exactly why, but they do. Now sit down, I’m too tired for this. Midoriya, Hollow, take your seats too.”

Mr. Aizawa put Katsuki on his desk for him and the boy growled at him. As soon as the other two sat down Mr. Aizawa crossed his hands and leaned back.

“Right, now that everyone’s here, we’re going on a mini field trip today to the Unforeseen Simulation Joint. Get changed. Midoriya, don’t think I noticed your lack of costume.”  
Izuku let out a little jump and blushed in his seat.

“Get into your gym clothes and stop by the nurse’s office to get the rest of your back healed. Everyone else, get changed and meet me out front. I expect everyone there in 15.” Mr. Aizawa strolled out of the class as the costumes came out of the wall again, the class saying a brief “Yes sir!”

* * *

They boarded the bus, Deku feeling only a tiny bit tired after being healed up entirely. He got in line behind Holly before he remembered his questions to her.

“Hey, you never told me, what kind of Quirk is that? The one with the dream catchers?”  
“It is called the Dream Nail Quirk,” Holly replied as they boarded, “It reads the thoughts and dreams of others. I am told that mastery over it will allow me to teleport to a spot I set.”

“That sounds really useful!” Izuku exclaimed, then his face fell, horrified, “Oh my god you read my thoughts yesterday?!”

Holly patted him on the shoulder as the other students turned to look at them.

“You can read thoughts?” Sue asked, overhearing them.

“Should I strike them with the Dream Nail,” Holly answered, “I can read your current thoughts, or your deepest desires.”

“That will be pretty useful in the field if you’re rescuing people,” Momo said, “I didn’t know people could have multiple Quirks.”

“Actually, it’s quite common for bugs to have one or two Quirks!” Mina joined the conversation, hopping in her seat, “Us bugs gain the intelligence, then we get another power up! Half human hybrids or a very low percentage of bugs can gain at least 3! But 4 and the grub accidentally kills itself, as it gets overwhelmed and it’s body shuts down.”

“Are you a bug Mina?” Izuku asked her politely.

“Yeah, I am actually!” She beamed, “Dad was a moth and mom’s a human! I was an accident, but apparently a happy accident!”

“Humans being into bugs is something I didn’t think I would be thinking about,” Eijiro said as more students came on, “That’s a bit scary.”

“Not as scary as Bakugo during yesterday’s training,” Hanta flopped down next to him, elbowing him, “You can’t really become a good hero if you scare everyone!”

“No, you’re more likely mistaken for a villain with how you scream like an animal,” Sue said, finger on her chin. The students all laughed, and Izuku noticed how the tides had turned. Now people were teasing Katsuki, and not him. It was almost a weird, poetic justice.

From the back seat, it was almost as if you could feel Katsuki simmer at the class’s teasing.

As the bus began moving, suddenly, dread filled Izuku’s veins. His eyes widened, and his body began to glow.

 _Prepare yourself, I can feel them waiting_ , that voice he heard last night called to him.

“Midoriya, is there a problem,” Mr. Aizawa asked, turning to look at the glowing Izuku.

“S-sorry sir,” Izuku answered, “I just suddenly feel...like something’s going to happen. Can’t you hear it? It’s like it’s calling me.”

Mr. Aizawa’s eyes glowed a brief red, and Izuku’s Quirk stopped. He shook his head.

“Get your wits together, you all will be safe. No battles today, we’re going to be pretending to rescue civilians. You’ll hear more about that with 13.” Mr. Aizawa blinked, and One for All didn’t react again. But that feeling, deep in Izuku’s bones, persisted. 

The bus stopped, and the class filed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of notes oh myyyyy  
> So most Bugs live underground concurrently with humans, but a fair few amount also live in the surface world. The old world of bugs, the original Hollow Nest, still is under the old town of Dirtmouth, where the famous battle against Radiance took place and the imprisoning of Radiance within Hollow Knight. (and the secret one against All for One). Because Radiance was sealed here, most bugs moved away from the old kingdom and started anew alongside humans. It's been uneasy but the racism is still there, but it's slowly getting better with famous bug heroes like Hornet around.
> 
> I decided that the school used to be the White Palace once upon a time and that the King made it into a learning facility to help bridge the gap between humans and bugs after Radiance was sealed. There are no puzzles like in the games, just gotta get to the top because the Pale King just made it a lot easier here (Or maybe Deku is just crazy skilled and it patient AF XD)   
> Unfortunately, he had to make it more friendly and appealing to humans. When the Pale King rose to power and became King, no one really stopped Him when He claimed a big chunk of land and made his palace to begin his experiments and find something to defeat the Radiance. Many of the schools protections still stand from the older days, although the school itself isn't as beautiful and looks more akin to like it does in the anime to make it more friendly-looking to the parents of future heroes. The Pale King may have disappeared shortly after Hollow Knight was sealed away, but he passed it onto Nezu who now looks after it.  
> ALSO around the time Pale King disappeared is around the time All Might and Hornet found Holly wandering about the school (but that's for another chapter in the future)
> 
> This chapter had to make me think out a timeline of events of when things took place. Everyone is 15 now, (since there was a big time skip from middle to high school) so All Might and Hollow Knight defeated our 2 villains 14 years ago (when our boys were just wittle 1 year olds dwaaaa) So the school itself has been an official school for about 13 years, but has made a name for itself in that short time as the literal best in the world.  
> I decided that Essence won't be a thing in this fic, it's just Holly gaining better control over the Nail. Izuku ended up with her at the White Palace since he was touching her. Even while dead, the Pale King's diminishing light still has influence, and somehow whatever remains knew enough to call the vessel and give it a partially finished charm. We'll see Holly get the other half later ;)  
> Thanks for reading the story guys and the longest blurb of notes I have so far XD


	11. Scattered and Without Help

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A normal class day, until villains show up. Scattering the class, Holly, Izuku and Katsuki must fight their way out and reunite again with their entire class, before the villains kill them all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: GRAPHIC SCENES AHEAD!

A hero in a space suit greeted them at the entrance. 

“Welcome to the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, or the USJ!” the female voice greeted them once the students settled into place, “My name is Thirteen, a rescue hero! Here you will learn about rescuing others! Most hero work is about rescuing civilians from natural disasters, so here, we’ve constructed many zones for you to rescue each other in!”

It was as if the world had suddenly gone dark for Izuku. His hearing became sensitive as he glowed. He could feel it. Taste it. It was sickly sweet in his mouth.

Katsuki glanced at Izuku, and wondered if the idiot was just being overly sensitive today.

But then the dark purple clouds appeared, surrounding them. He noticed how surprised everyone was, and Katsuki raised his fists, prepared.

“Has the training started already?” Eijiro looked forward, curious, “I thought we were rescuing people.”

“Stay back!” Mr. Aizawa commanded them, taking off his scarf. He put on the hidden goggles beneath them, “This is real, those are villains.”

The students gasped, but Izuku and Katsuki were already ready.

A deep voice spoke to them all, “The only real heroes I see are Thirteen and Eraser Head. How perplexing, according to the schedule, All Might was supposed to be here as well,” The dark purple mist grew bright, orange eyes.

“So you scumbags used the press as a cover and sneaked onto campus” Eraser Head replied to the mist, then his head turned to Izuku, “I should’ve listened to you kid.”

The villains approached, dozens and dozens of them.

“Where is he? I went through all this trouble, to snuff out All Might and show these kids the true light. ” Another villain's raspy, harsh voice declared to all of them, hands all over his body “We want All Might, the great Symbol of Peace. Let’s kill a few kids, then he’ll come out to play.”

Thirteen kept the students behind her, watching.

“Thirteen, why aren’t the alarms going off?” Momo asked, looking nervously forward.

Thirteen looked around the dome, “Good question. I’m not sure.”

“Is the entire campus under attack?” Shoto asked, voice ice cold, “Or is this their only target? Either way, if the alarm sensors are being triggered, then one of these villains must have a Quirk that’s masking their presence here. They carefully chose this isolated spot as an entry point at a time when a class was being taught. They’re fools for trespassing here, but they thought this out. Whatever their plan, they must have a concrete objective in mind. But what is it?”

His classmates gasped at this, realizing that whatever it was, it wasn’t good. 

“Thirteen, get them outta here,” Mr. Aizawa said, taking a step forward, “And alert the main campus. Actually, if they’ve got the ability to block our main sensors, then they might be blocking our main communications too. Kaminari, try using your Quirk to contact the school.”

Denki’s eyes widened, “Yes sir,” he replied, putting a hand to his ear.

“What are you going to do?” Izuku asked his teacher, “Your powers are better suited for one-on-one and stealth! You can’t take them all on at the same time!”

Mr. Aizawa smiled, “You can’t be a pro if you only have one trick.” At that, he leapt forward, shouting, “Keep them safe Thirteen!” He immediately grabbed two of his foes and smashed them together with his capture weapon, then punched another in the face. Mr. Aizawa began his battle.

Izuku watched in awe at his teacher, easily taking down villain after villain.

“No time to be analyzing, let’s go!” Iida said, and Izuku snapped out of it, racing after them.

The dark purple mist stood in front of them, stopping their escape and surrounding the students.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you all,” the mist cooed, “It’s impolite to not introduce ourselves. We are the League of Villains. We’ve invited ourselves to this haven of justice for the poetic pleasure of crushing the pillar of peace. Since you’re not here to see the Might be killed, won’t you join us? Join the true light, the Radiance. Your Quirks will be stronger, faster, better, and best of all, you’ll live forever.”

Katsuki and Eijiro answered this proposition by leaping forward to attack, screaming. There was an explosion of light.

“Did you think we were going to stand around and listen to you? That’s a big fuck no from me,” Eijiro said as the smoke around the duo began to clear. 

The smoke seemed to power up the darkness, as it grew bigger and bigger.

“You live up to this school’s reputation,” The mist completely enveloped them, “You should be more careful children, otherwise, one of you might die.”

The mist started to blow wildly, blowing many students back. “I’ll scatter you across this facility, and you all will meet your deaths for defying the Radiance!”

“Deku, Kacchan!” Holly yelled across the darkness, “Shatter-” but the sound of her voice was lost within the villain’s own void.

**_The Downpour Zone_ **

Holly fell straight onto a bench, as if the darkness that led the villains in placed her there. Her Quirk naturally healed her.

Well, being shattered to get help was now out of the question.

Holly stood up. It was raining here. She walked forward, looking around. The place was already crawling with bugs, bright orange eyes like hers. She recognized the infection within them when they attacked. Taking out her nail she cut them down. 

This was a part of the simulation, she could see. The sky was not truly a sky, and this rain was too even, too consistent. 

“Hollow,” that deep male voice called. Holly turned to see Fumikage strolling towards her.

“You’re here too,” she said, “We need to leave and reunite with the others.”

Fumikage nodded in agreement, but then said, “Why can’t I just kill you and you respawn in the classroom?”  
“I was sent upon a bench when I was teleported here,” Holly informed him, picking a direction to what appeared to be the simulation walls.

Fumikage sighed, a dark shadow emerging. “Dark Shadow, look around.”

More of those white, jelly-like slimes jumped from the corner. Holly noticed that these things contained quite a bit of Soul when she struck them down.

“What do you think happened to the others?” Her classmate asked as Dark Shadow joined the fray.

“Scattered about as well most likely,” Holly replied, “From the speaker, it seemed as if they plan to kill us all today.”

“Do you think that’s why the constructs were out? Not the journalists, but them?”  
“There is no telling,” she said, “I focus on the now, Fumikage. The reasons of earlier today hold no bearing in the danger of now.”

Fumikage raised his eyes at this. “That might help us understand the situation, you know.”

Holly didn’t reply as bigger orange-eyed bugs appeared. They floated, balls of orange and white light surrounding them. Their eyes were tainted by Radiance, Holly noted, as she and Fumikage cut down the bugs. 

_Bring back the light_ , they chanted, before their own was snuffed out.

“Are we actually killing them?” Fumikage realized after the brief encounter as the bugs fell, dropping precious Geo.

Holly knelt down to the bodies, picking up the Geo for later use, “They were never alive in the first place. These bugs were killed a long time ago.”

Fumikage was startled at how matter-of-fact she was. Even taking the villain’s money to claim!

“Let’s just keep going,” He said, “If we can get somewhere higher up, we could hop the buildings and reunite with the others.”

Holly nodded in agreement, beginning to climb the wall of the nearest building. Fumikage used his Dark Shadow to follow. The due landed on the top, then began to survey the area.

“There,” Fumikage pointed towards a clear path, “If you use that super dash of yours, you’ll be able to reach it without fail.”

“Someone may shoot me down,” Holly countered, “But that looks to be the fastest and quickest. If we go together, we will be safer.”

A dark shadow loomed behind the teens. They turned as the Seal of Binding surrounded them, trapping them as if in an arena. 

“Follow the true light, crush the Might,” The bug said, balls of energy surrounding him as his red and blue rags of a cape flowed around him.

Hollow took out her weapon as Dark Shadow was summoned once again.

“No, you’re villains!” Fumikage exclaimed, “We will not!”

“Then die to the power of the Soul Master!” The bug cried, similar white-and-orange projectiles forming around him. 

“Dark Shadow, attack!” Fumikage commanded, sending forward the beast. Dark Shadow attacked with relish, and Holly followed suit. The Soul Master tried to throw more energy balls at the pair, then slamming down over and over with the power of Soul. Dark Shadow clawed at the Soul Master, screeching, as Holly dodged more of his balls. She let out a Vengeful Spirit from her chest. Soul Master screeched at them both, lunging straight for Fumikage. Holly intercepted him, using her nail as a shield. Dark Shadow pulled him off and ripped apart his body, orange gunk rapidly coming out of his insides. Dark Shadow dropped Soul Master, and the villain fell to the ground, dead.

Fumikage looked at Dark Shadow, horrified as Holly went to examine the body.

"He has been dead for a long, long time Fumikage," Holly said, "Look at his claws. They're blue from rot. You only put down a corpse."

Fumikage's wide eyes seemed to calm down as he looked away, "I'm sorry. Still, I should have better control."

"It was him or us," she replied, picking up a piece of paper that had fallen from his cloak, "And you know he was aiming to kill."

“Anything useful?” Fumikage sighed, "Do you know what Radiance is that they keep talking about?"

“Instructions on the Desolate Dive,” Holly replied, reading carefully. She had quite an amount of Soul from the battle, and wasn’t really hurt at all. 

“Let’s go,” Holly said, not answering his question taking her first leap towards the next building, “The others may need our help.”

Together, they began their journey out of the false city. 

** _The Shipwreck Zone_ **

Izuku fell, his dark vision clearing as he let out a yell and fell in the water. His vision went dark again at the impact as he blinked, then tried to swim upward, kicking hard. His vision cleared, and he pushed towards the light of the surface.

“Nothing personal against ya kid, you just gotta die,” A voice said through the water as a shark-like human sped towards him, orange eyes glowing. Izuku used One for All to swim faster, his oxygen depleting. He wouldn’t be able to fight underwater.

He saw Sue crash into the villain. He couldn't really understand what she was saying, but he felt her tongue wrap around his waist.

He took a deep breath of fresh air as she took him out of the water, coughing a little bit. He felt himself land awkwardly on the boat she set him on, nose stinging from the water that went up it. 

Sue threw Minoru a lot more forcefully onto the boat as Izuku stood up.

“You saved my life Asui,” Izuku said.

“I told you to call me Sue,” She replied.

“Oh, uh yes, sorry, sorry Sue! I’d forgotten,” Izuku said in a rush, eyes wide. Sue just smiled at him, “Anyway, thanks!”

“This is the worst day of class,” Sue said, looking off of the boat. Villains surrounded them. 

“Yeah, I keep thinking about what that villain said,” Izuku said, “about crushing All Might and killing him. They knew our whole schedule and who would be here. They must’ve gotten into the school earlier today when all the teachers were dealing with the press,” he looked at both of them, “That means they’ve been waiting for the perfect opportunity to attack. Just like Todoroki said they were.”

“Hey hold on a second! It’s not like these guys can really kill All Might!” Minoru said, waving his fists, “Once he shows up he’ll pound these villains until there’s nothing left!”  
“Yeah, but these guys said they were going to kill us first, for defying Radiance, whoever that is,” Sue said, hands together in fear, “Think about it, if the villains spent so much time planning this attack, they must have found a way to kill All Might.”

Izuku gasped in disbelief at these words.

“That smoke guy said he was going to kill us. We should worry about getting out of here before they torture us to death, or we’ll never see All Might again," Sue continued, looking overboard.

Minoru whimpered at hearing this. All his bravo seemed to be sucked out of him, “The pros are going to save us right?!” He pointed at Sue, looking at Izuku for support, “Tell frog-boobs to shut up!”

“Ribbit!” Sue glared at him.

From the water, they could hear one of the villains scream, “You bastards! I’ll enjoy eating you!”

Minoru screamed and curled up into a ball, “Bad guys!”

Sue was right, Izuku thought, looking over the boat, If they’re here for All Might, they might have a way to defeat him. They wouldn’t have planned this attack if they didn’t. But why him out of all the heroes? Maybe because he’s the top hero, the one and only symbol of Peace and Justice. But Izuku had a moment of clarity, all fear and doubt leaving him. It didn’t matter. He no longer cared for the reasons. He was going to have to face this evil head on! 

“If they can beat him,” He said, and the others turned to look at him, “Then we have to stop whatever these bad guys are planning. We have to work together to keep All Might safe. No one at UA knows what’s going on. This is up to us, let’s be heroes!"

** _The Ruins Zone_ **

One of Katsuki’s grenade gloves had been lost in the warp. The first thing he noticed was that he was in a small room. The next thing he noticed was that Eijiro Kirishima had been warped with him.

“Behind you!” Eijiro shouted, and Katsuki turned swiftly, making an explosion right in a villain’s face. In a different room, there was an agonized, pained scream of one of their classmates as more villains entered the room.

“Say goodbye!” Katsuki instantly let out another explosion on another villain as Eijiro’s body hardened, taking out the next two that went in the window. The screams of help continued. The boys easily dispatched the next two villains who didn’t even stand a chance.

“Come on,” Katsuki commanded, already running out of the room, “One of them is in trouble.”

Eijiro followed without a word. No other villains stood in their path as they followed the dying screams.

“What the fuck,” Katsuki stopped as he ran in. There, on the floor, that invisible girl…

Well, she wasn’t very invisible now. Blood and guts streamed out from an unknown source, painting her body, for once making it visible. Since she was mostly naked to begin with her own innards finally gave the boys something to see, cut open skin and little orange orbs of infection beginning to crawl in before ultimately going right back out.

“The fuck did you do?!” Eijiro screamed at the villain on the other side, writing the wall with her blood.

"She refused the Radiance, and even by force her body rejects it. Therefore, she must die," The bug stated, grinning, "And you will too."

Both boys charged at the bug. Katsuki let out another explosion while Eijiro stabbed it in the stomach. The creature let out a surprised exhale, then collapsed. His money fell out of his pockets as Eijiro dropped to his knees.

“Hagakure” He said breathily, tears in his eyes, “Can you hear me? Say something?"

Her face came into view as tears of blood came from her eyes, and she coughed.

“Kirishima?” she asked, looking at him, “Can you tell my parents I love them?”

“You’re not going to die,” Eijiro said, choking up, “You’re going to get out of here and graduate!”

“He’s right, don’t you dare fucking die!” Katsuki shouted at her, kneeling down to take her hand. “You’re going to fucking graduate with the rest of us and become a good fucking hero!”

She let out a laugh, then coughed a bit more. “You guys… get out… alive… this isn’t… your fault… ” He hand went slack into Katsuki’s as Hagakure took her last breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I killed Toru Hagakure for 2 reasons: 1, to show that my version of the league of villains are much, much more bloodthirsty and 2, she doesn't do that much in the anime except "haha funny invisible girl."  
> Well she's not so invisible on the inside now is she?  
> There's also going to be much more pain in the next chapter. Gonna focus on our trio as they fight their way and meet together again. Although everyone is going to be horrified at how Katsuki and Eijiro look. I love class 1-A to death but someone's gotta die for the plot sooo  
> Sorry Toru ;w;  
> Thanks for reading guys <3


	12. Encountering the Unknown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: more death and gore galore :D

**_The Ruins Zone _ **

Katsuki hung his head low, still clutching Kirishima’s hand. He closed her bloody eyes, then wiped away the blood on his shirt. Eirijo was crying openly, stunned that the villains were actually able to kill someone.

“We have to go, Kirishima,” Katsuki said. He shook his head. 

“Eirijo,” Katsuki decided to skip the formalities, “The others may need us!”

“They just… killed her,” He wept.

Katsuki gently slapped him, a puff of smoke from his fingers, “Snap out of it man! This is the shit we’re going to face when we’re pros! And pros have to know when to leave! She didn’t die alone! Now we have to go to make sure no one else dies!”

Eirijo looked up, sniffing. He wiped his eyes and stood up. “I didn’t expect…”

“None of us did,” Katsuki said as they walked away, “We have to stop them. Bring them to trial, to actual justice.”

Silence as the boys walked away, covered in the blood of their former classmate. The halls were so empty, it put them both on edge, expecting someone to jump out as they hurriedly rushed down the stairs.

“You know, you’re actually really calm in combat, you know?” Erirjo said after a while, no longer being able to stand the silence and wanting _something_ to distract him, “I’m used to how brash you are and we hardly know each other. You’re normally like, die, die die! Especially around Midoriya.”

“Tch,” Katsuki said, “Deku brings out the worst in me. He’s a fucking little shit who I’ll kill if he dies. And I am calm and rational!”

“Sounds like you actually care about him.”

“Shut the fuck up. He’s a bastard through and through.”

Eirijo smirked, “Yeah. Sure.”

“OK Eirijo now you’re a fucking shithead too.” 

“That’s so manly that the only thing manlier is if you were gay. The only thing manlier than one man is two men.”

Katsuki turned to Eirijo, an eyebrow raised. “You’re a hopeless romantic and one gay motherfucker if you think I’m an inch near gay.”

Eirijo laughed, glad for the distraction. “Hey, that’s why I said the only to make you malier is if you’re gay!”

“Well I’m not, so there.”

“Then today you’ve reached peak manliness, my friend.”

It was Katsuki’s turn to smirk at this comment. It was actually the first time someone ever called him manly. 

“Thanks, asshole,” he said.

“No problem faggot.”

Katsuki snorted, some tension he didn’t know he had left on his shoulders. Eirijo was an OK guy, he concluded as they exited the building. A more comfortable silence befell them, but a silence still. There was still danger around, and the boys had to be on guard, listening for other students or those who wanted to try and sneak up to them.

Katsuki grabbed an invisible head from the air, his hands exploding. Eirijo whistled. 

"Nice reaction time."

"Except for the one we encountered earlier, these all seem to be low-leveled scrubs," Katsuki said, "The rest of their offensive abilities should be able to handle these assholes," He kicked the villain's body as he said so, then stomped on their head.

"It sounds like you actually have faith in our classmates!" Eirijo said with a grin.

"As long as they're..." Katsuki stopped, the scene earlier rushing to the forefront of his memory, "As long as they keep their guard up and stick together, the rest of them should be able to survive."

Eirijo's grin fell, then he, too, kicked the fallen villain in the stomach, hardening his leg as he did so. They coughed up an orange slime. Katsuki kicked him again. Eirijo followed, and they kept kicking and kicking him, cursing, screaming in his face, but he was knocked out.

Katsuki spat on their body, "We should go."

"Yeah," Eirijo agreed, looking down at the body. He was surprised to feel no regret for doing this. There was no honor in it, nothing manly about this. But it felt good. And he needed that in this moment. He could worry about it later, but for now, he shoved the feelings of self-resentment and regret away.

They didn’t encounter anyone else in the ruins, but they could hear fighting in the distance. Both boys began to jog to the noise when Katsuki spotted a flying, dark figure flying in the distance.

“There!” He pointed, and both boys ran towards it. 

They were parallel to the battle their teacher was facing. Katsuki and Eirijo saw a small group of other students on what looked like the edge of the lake, and they ran to meet them. The biggest guy and the hands guy were approaching them. On the ground, Mr. Aizawa was in his own pool of blood as other villains looked like they were about to make sure he was dead. _Fuck it,_ Katsuki decided before using his Quirk to propel himself forward to help. No one else was going to die today, no fucking way. He and Eirijo jumped to the edge of battle, swiftly taking out more villains. He knew in the corner of his eyes he could see one of his teacher's eyeballs hanging out of its sockets, but even on all 4s he knew Mr. Aizawa was making it easier on him by taking out even more Quirks.

It was in that instance that Katsuki's respect for his teacher tripled as he himself doubled his own efforts to take down everyone still standing.

**_The Downpour Zone _ **

“It’s Mezo, and Koji!!” Fumikage exclaimed, pointed at the others on the ground, fighting more villains

Holly didn’t hesitate and jumped into the battling, using the instructions from the Soul Master. She dived downwards at a speed she wasn’t sure she could stop, knocking friend and foe to the ground as she landed.

She pulled out the nail and immediately stabbed an enemy, using the Vengeful Spirit to take out another. Fumikage’s Dark Shadow followed swiftly behind, taking out two more. The villains were already at their end and collapsed in heaps when they arrived.

“Thanks,” Mezo panted, looking at them, “I wasn’t sure how much more we could take.”

Holly nodded at them, “Are you injured?”

“No, Mezo replied, looking at Koji, who shook his head quickly.

“Holly, you should really consider moving on by yourself. Use that Quirk of yours to get out. I think we’ll manage fine by ourselves now that I have others with me.”

Holly gazed at Fumikage for a long second. 

“Are you sure?” She asked finally.

“Yes, Dark Shadow works best here. We’ll be able to defend.”

“Yeah, others may need help. Especially Mr. Aizawa,” Mezo nodded at Holly, “He might need some backup. We’ll keep searching for others here and picking out anyone who tries to mess with us.”

Holly bowed her head once, climbing up another building. She aimed towards her and Fumikage’s original way out, charging up the Crystal Heart. The black crystals flashed in power, and she was propelled forward. After a few minutes of flying she crashed through the window of the Downpour Zone. She noticed up in the air other students battling. She could see Shoto’s ice skating, unmerciful power towards the center of the building. Holly could tell that Shoto was freezing every villain he met along the way. She saw a brilliant burst of electricity in the fake mountains. At the entrance, she saw the door open and one, single student disappearing past the purple mist to finally get help. She was heading towards the Shipwreck Zone, colliding into Sue, who had Dekuand Minoru in hand, stopping her flight as they fell. 

  
  


**_The Shipwreck Zone _ **

“What do you mean _fight_ , are you crazy?!” Minoru shouted at Izuku in complete disbelief, “These guys might be able to kill All Might, and you think we can take them?! Did you hit your head when we got warped here?!” Tears streamed from his eyes as he stomped his feet, “The best plan is for us to just wait for a real pro from UA to come and save us!”

“Think about it,” Izuku said calmly, “Those villains down there clearly have an advantage in water, and they assume that’s where we’ll fight.”

“Are you even LISTENING?!” 

“If that’s the case, they must’ve known what was inside the USJ before they warped here,” Sue said, ignoring Minoru. 

“Yeah,” Izuku agreed, “But for a group with such careful planning, there’s one thing that really sticks out to me, something that just doesn’t add up. They sent you here Asui-” Izuku stuttered as he realized his mistake and Sue looked at him, “uh- whoops I meant Sue!” His voice said shakily, nervous as Sue looked at him curiously, “They warped you into the shipwreck zone!”

“That kinda fell apart on you, didn’t it?” Sue asked.

Izuku sighed, “A little bit.”

“But _WHY_ does it matter that she’s here?!” Minoru yelled again.

“Yeah, OK, right!” Izuku focused again, “It means the villains probably have no idea what our Quirks are!”

“Uh, ribbit,” Sue said, understanding, “If they knew I was a frog, they would’ve sent me into that fire zone over there instead of the shipwreck zone full of water.”

“They probably separated us because they didn’t know what we could do and planned to overpower us once we were in smaller groups. Easier to pick us off one by one. We can use that to our advantage. They don’t know what our Quirks are. So for all they know, the three of us could be super powerful.” He looked down at the villains, who all stared back, “Look, none of them are trying to climb into the boat. That proves they’re a little unsure. But that means they’re not going to underestimate us either. They’re being smart and playing it safe. For now.”

“So let’s talk about Quirks first,” Sue said, crouching down so the villains could no longer see her. Izuku copied her. “So pretty obviously I can jump pretty high, and cling pretty much to any wall. Of course there’s my tongue, I can stick it out about 20 meters. The other stuff is not useful, just spitting out my stomach to clean it and secreting a slightly toxic mucus that only stings. I’m not a bug, I just have the powers of a frog.”

“Secret mucus?” Minoru said, his face going red.

“I figured you were powerful, but that’s insane,” Izuku told her, impressed, “I’m strong, but it comes at a price. If I use too much of my power, I’m pretty much out of commission. I can only really use a small percentage of it to be any use, and I get some really nasty bruises. And more and I break my own body. It’s a double-edged sword until I can control it.”

“I’ve got these sticky balls,” Minoru said, taking one off and sticking it to the wall to demonstrate, “They can stick to pretty much anything, and their strength varies depending on how I’m feeling. Sometimes they can stick an entire day to anything.” He jiggled the one on the wall, “They grow back as fast as I pull them off, but I’ll bleed if I use too many. Oh and they don’t stick to me. I just bounce right off ‘em.”

Izuku and Sue stared at Minoru, Izuku suddenly growing pensive. 

Minoru whimpered, then cried, “Don’t look at me like that! This is why I say we should wait for the real heroes! My Quirk is useless for battle and we’re all going to die!”

“No, you have an incredible power!” Izuku said quickly, “I have an idea on how we can use it!”

A giant hand in the water sliced the boat in half, and Minoru started to throw the balls in the water.

“Mineta no, they’ll guess your Quirk!” Izuku yelled above the noise, looking over the boat cautiously. He noticed how none of the villains would touch the floating balls, and the plan in his mind solidified.

“So Mineta, are you sure the hero thing is something you want to do?” Sue asked him.

“Shut up! It’s weirder not to be scared right now, we just got out of junior high a little while ago!” Minoru shouted at her, still crying, “I didn’t think I’d be facing _DEATH_ a few days after joining UA! I can’t believe I’m gonna die without ever getting to touch Yaoyorozu’s boobs!”

“Listen up,” Izuku commanded, “An enemy that’s certain of their victory is bound to make a mistake! All Might said something along those lines in a TV interview a while back.”

“What does that mean?” Minoru cried.

“We can beat them!” Izuku declared, turning to them. Both gasped as Izuku quickly told them his plan.

He turned back swiftly to the enemies in the water, screaming. He had to act like Kacchan!

“Now die!” Izuku yelled, jumping from the boat. He wouldn’t get all the enemies with a singular smash, with them being in a circle. He gripped his finger, ready to use the full percentage. Because if he created a whirlpool instead…

One for All powered through his fingertips as he flicked his fingers. The force blew the air into the water, causing a gigantic splash. He felt Sue’s tongue wrap around his waist as she leapt from the sinking ship. Minoru was still crying, but he began to fling his purple balls frantically towards the center of the vortex. The villains were pulled, beginning to get stuck. They screamed as they tried to pull away, but nothing was working.

“We make a great team guys.” Sue ribbited as they flew away through the air. A figure shot them down suddenly, and they quickly fell into the water.

“Hollow!” Sue exclaimed as soon as she got up, “I didn’t expect to run into you!”

Holly got up and nodded at Sue as Izuku and Minoru stood up.

“Deku, you’re hurt!” Holly exclaimed the moment she saw his finger.

“It’s fine,” he replied, covering his finger with what remained of his glove, “We have to meet up with the others. Were you-”

“Those I was with made a big enough group and had me strike out. They’re in the Downpour Zone, and with Fumikage and his Dark Shadow, they are safe,” Holly interrupted swiftly, looking to the side, “We must be silent.”

The others turned to where she was looking. They gasped quietly as they saw their teacher’s face being beaten into the ground by the biggest guy. Mr. Aizawa was in a pool of his own blood. When his head was lifted again, Izuku’s heart dropped when he saw one of his teacher’s eyes roll out of its socket.

They all crouched in the water, hiding.

“We have to help him!” Izuku urged, “He’s going to die if we don’t!”

“He looks gone to me Deku,” Holly replied solemnly, “They’ve dropped him.”

The villains approached them now, the one covered all over in hands scratching his neck furiously.

 _Shit!_ Izuku thought, mind racing and eyes wide. He had no idea what this guy's Quirk was, but from his costume, if had to do with his hands.

“Since one of you escaped and All Might is coming, let me break his will.” He reached over and grabbed Sue’s head as he said this.

“Eraser Head,” The man said slowly, turning, “You live up to your hype.”

Izuku glanced over and Mr. Aizawa was on all fours, staring at the villain with his remaining eye. Izuku didn’t think

“Let go of her!” He screamed, One for All charging to full power. “SMASH!”

The entire area was blown back from the force, even nearby villains. Izuku expected his entire arm to hurt, but… it didn’t. But as the dust settling, the purple villain with an exposed brain stood in front of him. But he wasn't injured, not one bit! For one second, Izuku was amazing at himself. In the next, he realized in horror that it didn’t even do a small semblance of good as it stared down at him, a fang-filled grin wide at Izuku.

The one with hands chuckled, taking a step back from Sue. “Are you a disciple of All Might? Perhaps, you should be the one to die.”

Sue grabbed Izuku by the tongue and pulled away as the villain smashed down where he was a second ago.

The front doors burst open. 

“Do not fear students, I am here,” A heroic voice said. All Might stepped into view, but he was not smiling. It seemed that everyone paused to look, but Sue still flung away Izuku from the creature that just attacked, stepping back into the water herself. Holly pulled out her nail to protect herself from either foe. Minoru just stood there, cowering as he stared the the one with hands. The class near the entrance let out a cheer as All Might looked directly towards the Shipwreck Zone. The class did too, feeling safe and curious to what he saw.

“Well, we may be getting a continuation, but I still want to crush his spirits! Nomu! Kick Eraser Head!” The guy covered in hands cried out, grabbing Minoru. Minoru screamed as he was blocked from view of his teacher, his body turning into dust in front of most of his class. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Deleted scenes include the class on top of the stairs, Iida getting out, and All Might's talk with the principle. I didn't know how to work it all in, especially since most of it is really similar to how it was portrayed in the anime. Sooo...I didn't XD  
> Basically it's nearly the same and this one is long as it is so there ya go :3  
> Just imagine also with the principal, All Might looks at his phone, realizing he missed Izuku's call this morning, and wondering why the kid didn't bring it up with him right then and there before realizing he didn't tell Izuku that the principal knew about One for All too. And that its concerning why he couldn't reach Aizawa and 13. He also runs into Iida, rushes into the USJ only to see one of his students be disintegrated before him  
> A pretty bad day considering Minoru is only victim number 2.  
> Katsuki and Eirijo share a friendship gain moment to ease their own tension of watching someone just die. I would like to share that I ship their friendship ultra hard and that I can see them constantly calling each other names but in good nature.  
> The reason why Izuku's segment is the longest because it's the one with most dialog. The other 2 are mostly traveling silently, trying to not catch villain's attention but also listening out. Hope I conveyed that well enough.  
> Also imagine Shoto's encounters with the villains to be similar, except there are more he's freezing and many more he's letting lose their legs to frostbite. 10/10 ruthless.  
> Holly's is the shortest segment, both for not talking a lick to Fumikage while they travel and spending most of it flying through the air. As a vessel there isn't really any thoughts to ponder or opinions to share. She doesn't think unless there are others who prompt her or she has to study for school. Admittedly Fumikage isn't the most talkative either, so that pair up to show what little traits she does have. XD Vessel she may be, but from being around humans she has developed habits to make herself appear more pleasant so things go more smoothly for herself uwu But if someone doesn't speak first she most likely will not engage in a conversation unless she detects that you are stressed/need to talk. Because while she has no feelings, she realizes other do and as someone who is becoming a hero this is something heroes gotta do. It also makes life around humans easier as they are much more social and there are much more of them than bugs who aren't as social uwu


	13. All Might, Smothering That Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Might comes to save the day, but himself is caught in a jam. His own students save him just as much as he saves them, taking down so many. As the villains are defeated, the day finally hits his students, and All Might finds himself too weak to comfort their crying.

As All Might walked through the door, he couldn’t believe what had been happening while he was resting. How frightened the children must have been. As he walked in, those kids in front of him began to cry. But he could not put on a smile as he saw Thirteen on the ground, her entire backside gone. He walked further in as he knew everyone had paused to look at him.

“Do not fear students, I am here,” He said in his loudest voice, to put everyone at ease, but also to strike fear into villains. His eyes traveled to young Bakugo and Kirishima, fighting in the center while Eraser Head was on the other side, on all fours. All Might noticed all of them covered in blood.

Then his eyes saw, in the side, as a villain broke the silence he emitted and lifted one of his students. They screamed as they turned to dust.

All Might felt something inside him sink.

“You fiends!” All Might cried out. And faster than anyone’s eyes could see he vanished.

The villains who were in the center suddenly were knocked out on the ground. All Might stood at the bottom, cradling Eraser Head gently. He noticed that an eye was hanging out before the nerves finally broke, the eyeball rolling onto the ground. All Might noticed he still had a rather strong pulse for someone who just lost his eye. Like most pros, Eraser Head refused to die. Not when there were innocents to be saved.

“I’m sorry Aizawa, I should have been here,” All Might said. He glanced at the now three remaining students at the pool. 

Izuku stared back in awe, suddenly swept off his feet.

His brain didn’t even process that he, Holly and Sue were now in All Might giant arms, several feet away. All Might glared at the villains, his eyes now glowing a bright blue. The next moment he was on his own two feet as the hands of the villain who killed Minoru were on the ground.

“Everyone, back to the entrance. And take Mr. Aizawa with you. He doesn’t have much time,” All Might commanded.

“Yes sir,” the others replied. Sue picked up their teacher as Izuku glanced at his hero.

“You saved us All Might,” He said shakily.

“But not everyone,” There was pain in All Might’s voice.

“No, no, no, this isn’t how it’s supposed to be,” The one with hands weezed out in panic, picking up the hand to cover his face, “He’s still fast father, mother. He landed a hit on me! Of course a government sanctioned hero relies on violence. I wasn’t prepared, I couldn’t even see him when he moved. But he’s not as fast.” From under the hand, the villain grinned, “He really is getting weaker.”

“All Might, you can’t!” Izuku protested as he helped up his teacher, “That brain villain, I used One fo-” He stuttered, realized his classmates were listening, “I smashed him, and while I didn’t hurt myself, he didn’t seem fazed at all!”

“Young Midoriya, I’ve got this!” All Might held up a peace sign towards him, now forcing a smile on his face. 

Izuku sighed in worry as the students began to help their injured teacher away. 

All Might turned to what appeared to be their ringleader and crossed his arms.

“Carolina SMASH!” He cried out.

“Nomu,” The villain said calmly, and the big purple one appeared in front of him in an instant. 

Everything around All Might reacted, the water making a huge splash as there was a mini sonic boom made. All Might’s eyebrow rose in question as the creature didn’t even seem fazed. It growled and grabbed at All Might, who dodged by leaned backwards. 

“Guess he wasn’t wrong when he said it had no effect on you!” All Might cried, punching its stomach. 

“Let’s try this!” All Might yelled, punching it in the face. He did another, and another, but Nomu just let out a screech. All Might jumped back, “It doesn’t matter where I punch you, does it?”

“That’s because Nomu here has Shock Absorption, All Might” The hands guy said, “THe only way you’re going to hurt him is to slowly gorge out his flesh. Of course I don’t think he’s going to sit back and let you do that,” his voice was now high and giddy from laughter, “You’ve finally met your match!”

“Thanks for telling me how to beat him!” All Might said as he ducked under the Nomu, “All I have to do is wear him down, then it's onto you!” All Might smashed Nomu in the ground, a big cloud of wind going everywhere from the impact.

Izuku and Sue glanced behind them as they walked. 

“And yet, he has to still look at his notes when he’s teaching us,” Sue sighed as she helped Holly carry away Mr. Aizawa.

“I would simply remove that exposed brain of his,” Holly said, watching.

“That’s murder!” Izuku cried, looking at her.

“And the other child he killed in front of us wasn't?” Holly asked, “I may not have known his name, but he did not deserve to die like that.”

“We’re supposed to bring villains to trial, not kill them,” Sue agreed with Izuku.

“You are right,” Holly said, “But if they are planning to kill him, and they have already killed at least one of ours, he has a right to take out such a creature if it means saving the rest of our lives.”

Neither had anything to say to that. Holly was right in that these villains were not hesitating to kill them.

Izuku was worried about All Might. He knew All Might was already past his strength in using One for All, and that he was on fumes. But still, Izuku admired All Might for pushing, to protect them. He wanted to help, but that would risk him being taken hostage, or being killed, which would be so much worse than just being in the way.

Izuku remembered reading the news today on the way to school and frowned more. He remembered seeing All Might deflated in the principal’s office, resting. All Might shouldn’t be using All for One now. 

He remembered how All Might told him about only doing hero work for 3 hours a day. His stomach turned remembered All Might’s wound, losing his stomach and most of his intestines. How he has to put on a smile that hides how afraid he is. All Might is the symbol of Peace and Hope after all. 

Izuku shook and glanced back. He could hear his classmates cheering on All Might, but they didn’t know. All Might was saving them, but at what cost? They didn’t know what kind of trouble he was actually in.

The dust cleared and All Might felt blood pour out of his mouth. 

“Oh come on,” he growled out as the Nomu gripped right where he lost his stomach, “What kind of cheap move was that?”

From where he was standing Izuku gasped. The other two turned, and Sue gasped as well, eyes wide. All Might was beginning to bleed from his side, grunting in pain.

“Nice,” The one with hands said, “You were trying to bury him in the concrete so he couldn’t move around anymore,” He leaned back and held out a hand towards Nomu, “Sorry, that won’t work. Nomu’s as strong as you are. That won’t stop him.”

All Might grunted again, frowning as the man giggled, “Nice work, Kurogiri. We’ve got him just where we want him now.”

The purple fog’s orange eyes rose in amusement as All Might let go of Nomu’s legs and began trying to pry him off of him.

“If this is your plan then you picked the wrong place to attack. You should just give up now.”

The handed-man let out a pant and began to scratch his neck. “Kurogiri.”

“Normally I wouldn’t want blood and viscera flooding the insides of my warp gate,” Kurogiri said, looking down at All Might, “but I’ll make an exception for a hero as great as you. Normally you’re too fast for the human eye to see, so Nomu had to restrain you. As soon as he’s pulled you through I’ll pull the gates shut! I’m going to enjoy tearing you to pieces.”

Izuku just ran back without warning. No! He couldn’t let All Might die! Not like this!

Holly looked over at Sue, “Can you get him back by yourself? He’ll die by himself.”

Sue looked at the running Izuku, “Yeah sure!” She wrapped her tongue around his waist and took his other hand as Holly charged up the Crystal Heart to chase after Izuku.

She stopped mid-air to keep pace with him as Izuku yelled, “I’m coming!”

Kurogiri leapt in front of them both. “How foolish,” he said, opening a new gate.

“What the _fuck_ are you two doing?!” Katsuki screamed as he came from an angle neither could see, blasting Kurogiri and taking him down.

Izuku gasped as Katsuki blasted Kurogiri again, letting out an animalistic scream. He noticed that he was drenched in blood.

“Kacchan-”

“IT’S NOT MINE,” Katsuki screamed, letting out another blast, “And you FUCKER BETTER NOT MOVE A FUCKING MUSCLE OR I’LL KILL YOU LIKE YOUR MEN KILLED THAT INVISIBLE GIRL!”

Ice came next, going through the ground and freezing the Nomu, only barely stopping at the fingers before All Might.

Izuku turned his head to see Shoto standing there calmly.

“One of your poorly trained thugs told me you’re here because you think you can kill All Might,” Shoto calmly stared down the villains.

All Might loosened the Nomu’s grip, then leapt away next to Shoto. He put a hand on his side. 

Izuku looked at All Might and let out a tiny gasp, “Are you OK?”

All might didn’t answer as Eirijo jumped towards the handed-guy, who took a step to the side. Izuku noticed that he, too, was covered in blood. 

“Ah man, that was going to be so cool,” He said, jumping back.

“Guess I found your body this time, huh, you smokey bastard?” Katsuki said, looking down at Kurogiri.

“The symbol of Peace will not be defeated by delinquents like you," Shoto said as all five students now stared at the remaining villain. 

“Kacchan. Everyone,” Izuku said softly and had to wipe away his tears, moved by how they all came together so readily.

“Kurogiri,” he said with annoyance, “How could you let this brat get the best of you? You’ve gotten us into a real jam here.”

Katsuki smirked and looked down, “Heh. You got careless you dumb villain. It wasn’t hard to figure you out,” He let out another smaller explosion, “Only certain parts of you turn into that warp gate. You use that mist of yours to hide your real body as a kind of distraction, thinking that made you safe! That’s why we missed earlier. But a well-aimed physical attack can still hurt you.”

Kurogiri started to move again and Katsuki blew up his fingers, “Don’t you dare move, or I’ll make sure they’ll be cleaning you up for weeks.”

“Ohh that doesn’t sound very heroic,” Eirijo teased, “We’re supposed to arrest them.”

The man with hands stood still for a moment, as if thinking. He turned, “Nomu.”

The Nomu screeched as it was pulled out of the warp gate, the frozen parts of it breaking apart. Without hesitation Holly leaped forward and on top of the Nomu as its part kept falling, stabbing her nail straight into its brain. Using it as a lever she twisted, then quickly pulled out the Nomu’s brain, eyes, as well as some of its spine. Leaping away, the brain still at the tip she held out the nail as if to challenge the villain. The Nomu began to bleed a combination of blood and infection as it twitched in its death, then became still. The Nomu fell onto the ground, dead.

The group’s eyes widened as Holly stared at the villain, seemingly oblivious to what she’d done. 

The man began to scream, stomping his feet as if throwing a tantrum. He ran to Katsuki, hands out, ready to kill. 

In the next moment, Katsuki was next to Deku, in All Might’s arms no less. All Might set him on his feet and stepped towards the remaining villains.

“You’ve been bested, villains. Surrender.” All Might commanded, “We all want to get this over with quickly.

The hand villain started to scratch himself viciously, growling to himself. Through the fingers on his face he glared at All Might, then at Holly, who still had the dead Nomu’s brain in hand.

“If only Nomu was here, he’d pound you into the ground without a second thought,” He huffed out, frantically scratching himself.

“Tomura Shigaraki,” Kurogiri’s voice was suddenly almost...motherly and smooth, not at all what he sounded like earlier, “Do not fret. We will try again later. Let us depart, and regroup. There are other ways to crush the Might and bring back my light.”

Tomura sighed, “Yes, mother.”

Kurogiri opened up a portal as the other teachers burst through the door. Tomura took a step back, “This isn’t the last you’ll be hearing from me, All Might.”

In a circle of smoke, the pair disappeared.

The other pros came as All Might fell to the ground and clutched his side. A wall of cement from the ground prevented Katsuki from running to his side in a panic.

“Let us tend to the injured, young one,” Cementoss rushed to Katsuki, “Especially since you yourself are injured!”

Katsuki’s eyes filled with tears briefly, then he looked away. “I’m...not injured,” He said softly, “It’s...she’s…” In a rare display of trust, Katsuki leaned onto his literature teacher to hide his slow tears as the shock of battle began to wear out of him. Cementoss wrapped a giant arm around Katsuki as Eijiro’s own shock also began to fade. He fell to his knees and screamed at the unfairness of it all, knowing two of his classmates were now dead while he lived. Izuku joined in the crying as Shoto and Holly looked at all three. Shoto went into shock upon realizing there were casualties while Holly dropped her nail and walked to Eijiro (who was closest to her) and hugged him.

From the other side of the wall, All Might heard his students beginning to weep as he transformed back into his weaker self. He tried to stand, to turn back, but he fell. He sensed a hand on his back, gentle.

“All Might, you’ve used enough of your strength. You helped save the class,” His colleague Ectoplasm said.

“Not all of them,” All Might despaired, “There are at least 2 casualties. I saw young Mineta turn to dust. The other, you’ll have to get from the other two,” He coughed, “I need to be there.”

Ectoplasm crouched and looked All Might in the eyes, “Stop. Let us take care of it right now.”

All Might tried to stand in protest again, but in doing so his old wound mixed with the new flared up in such a way that he passed out from the pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A tiny bit shorter, but I found it fitting. I feel really bad for the kids here. Especially Kastuki and Eirijo, since they saw not one but TWO deaths. No other casualties in the class, but everyone's unsure if their teacher is going to make it.  
> Holly is stronger than she looks with that nail of hers. Although, if the heroes in the anime were allowed to kill, All Might probably would've killed Nomu like that too instead of punching him until he was passed out. However Holly knew she'd probably get away with killing someone like that, as her defense would be that she had reason it was going to kill All Might, then the rest of her class. So she saw an opportunity and took it. To spice in the emotions, she'd fake how afraid she was, even tho...well she wasn't. Buuuuut that's the beauty of the legal system :D (at least in America (I know it's set in Japan but I'm setting it in a country-neutral place and I know the legal system would let her go as she's 15 and literally just saw one of her classmates die so there'd be probably clause for using deadly force (I should stop going into America law))
> 
> Eyyyyyy wanna see a really cool sketch of Holly I did? I may draw her fully one day (but not today lol it's really late) you can see it here: http://fav.me/de1ikdg  
> (you may have to copy-paste that into your browser for it to work and I don't wanna overload descriptions so I linked another post in the description of THAT cuz Travellers_Of_Void drew Holly as well and it's really cool looking! XD)  
> Thanks for reading guys! Leave a comment cuz I love reading them!


	14. Our Hope and Determination is Set Upon This Imperfect Vessel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku learns the origin of his powers, as well as what his best friend must do. This does not set well with him, but in the end, he chooses to obey All Might and Hornet, and puts his faith in them. Holly decides that the harder path should be chosen. Hornet is unsure if Holly would be able to stand the truth like her predecessor, and if this will end up in failure once again. But Hornet cannot help but hope that this time, they'll be able to do it right.

Hornet burst through the doors, straight into Recovery Girl’s room.

“Where is he?” She asked Recovery Girl, who was giving stitches to Mr. Aizawa.

Recovery Girl, knowing there would be no stopping her, pointed to the last curtain, “He’s over there, dearie. Close the door behind you, will you?”

Hornet obeyed before strolling over, opening the curtain. All Might laid on the bed, looking up at the ceiling, a pained expression on his face. On one of his arms, he had an IV from the battle earlier that day.

“You scared the shit out of me, Toshinori,” She snapped at him, going to his bedside, “The news couldn’t get it straight if you had died or not.”

All Might chuckled, letting out a bloody, wheezing cough, “I thought you went down to Dirtmouth today.”

“I did to investigate those stupid humans last night. Their rumors along with that feeling I’ve had, they’re sadly correct.”

All Might closed his eyes, hardly believing what he’d heard. “From what I’ve heard, Radiance was controlling all of those humans, or lent them her power.”

“Then it may be worse than we thought,” Hornet replied bitterly, “There are no more vessels to use, the Pale King sealed them up and they have died down in the Abyss.”

“Not all of them,” All Might said, “We have one.”

Hornet glared at him, “Little Ghost shows too much emotion to be of any use.”

“From what I understand Hornet, she fakes those for the sake of others,” All Might replied calmly, reaching a hand and putting it over hers, “Look, I know you’ve probably gotten-”

“I haven’t gotten attached to it,” Hornet moved her hand away, “We need to purify it before we can use it. And enlighten it. But we can’t enlighten the little Ghost without Father around.”

“Actually, I think it’s met Him,” All Might said, “Earlier today, it held half of the charm your parents used to show their union. My successor said they went to the White Palace. The original one.”

“And you didn’t think to tell me right away, or question them further?” Hornet asked sharply.

“I’m not on the top of my game today,” All Might sighed, “Because of that, two of my students died today. It was Hollow that saved me from battling that Nomu guy by taking out its brains without hesitation.”

“Well, it certainly has the ruthlessness and the heroics of its older sibling.”

“There’s going to be paperwork. And the police are already questioning all of the students. I don’t want this to get out.”

“The press doesn’t know shit, Toshinori. They know there were 2 casualties, but your students haven’t spoken to any of them about it. I dare say that they refuse to say anything.”

All Might laughed, then coughed again. “They’re all good kids, and will be better heroes.”

“Ay,” Hornet agreed, “To the subject at hand, if the Ghost has the half from our Father, then there may be hope for its own self-enlightenment. Perhaps it will accept the responsibility of our forefathers and choose the harder path and kill the Radiance.”

All Might smiled, and reached for Hornet’s hand again. Hornet didn’t move away this time, sighing. 

“I think it will,” All Might said, “It seems to understand the importance of others. Maybe that was our initial mistake. The past Vessels were raised like royalty, while this one was raised humbly. No ideas to corrupt.”

Hornet nodded as they both fell silent, thinking.

“I need to tell Midoriya this,” All Might finally said, “If Radiance is coming back, even as weak as she is now, he needs to know.”

The curtain opened again, and both looked to see Izuku standing there, his finger bandaged.

“Speak of the devil,” All Might smiled at him, “Young Midoriya, are you OK?”

“All Might,” He said weakly, before running to his side and giving him an awkward hug, crying.

“Here, there there kid, I’m still OK,” All Might said, ruffling Izuku’s hair, “Now sit down. I was actually hoping you’d be done soon so we could talk before your mom came and picked you up.”

Izuku stood up and nodded, then glanced at Hornet. “Oh, hi Hornet. Sorry, did I interrupt?”

“No child,” Hornet replied, a little more gentle, seeing Izuku wipe his tears, “But congratulations for being his successor.”  
Izuku jumped, “You know?!”

“Izuku, he also goes by Mr. M in this form. Have you forgotten?”

Izuku’s face went through shock, then horror, “Oh my god Mr. M you’ve been-”

Hornet put a hand over Izuku’s mouth abruptly, “Yes. Calm yourself child. He’s the same as he’s ever been, if a bit more idiot lately.”

“You love me,” All Might grinned at her flirtatiously.

Hornet stood up, “Take my chair Izuku, let me find another.” She walked away.

All Might chuckled, then looked at Izuku, “You know, I never expected you to be my successor until I saw you fight that sludge monster. Then again today, when you and young Hollow ran back to save me.”

Izuku wiped away more of his tears, trying to not cry, “Well sir, I couldn’t bear seeing you die. Not like that…. Not after,” He let out a sob as tears running down his cheeks.

“Hey, hey, you did your best. We can’t save everyone, kid,” All Might put a tender hand on Izuku’s shoulder, “I wish we could, but we can’t. It’s a tough lesson to learn. But you guys held your own against those villains surprisingly well. It could have been a slaughterhouse if you guys didn’t come back and save my ass.”

“But if I had-If I-” Izuku stuttered, and All Might put a finger under Izuku’s chin, making him look All Might in the eyes.

“I’ve been dealing with survivor's guilt for years now kid. I won the war, but I lost a lot of good people,” All Might said gently, “I don’t mean to overload you, but when you’re ready, we need to talk about your power. Specifically the origin of it. You need to know.”

Izuku nodded, wiping his tears again. After a moment, quietly, he asked, “Are you and Hornet dating?”

All Might let out a laugh, throwing up more blood. Tears started coming out of his eyes as he tried to calm down his giggles as Izuku looked at him, a little freaked out.

“Oh god, no,” All Might giggled, surprised at the direction Izuku took on changing the subject, “We’re just really close friends. Although we do go through the fanfiction the internet posts. God, there’s so much cringe.”

Izuku let out a small chuckle, smiling a little. He didn’t really ship heroes, but out of curiosity he had read some of the fanfictions. He had long stopped after he realized that they were _way_ too adult for him, and he didn’t like thinking about All Might’s “might” in bed.

“There was this one that was my favorite that involved an outrageous pairing of me, her and Endeavor, if you can believe it,” All Might let out another laugh, “God I couldn’t keep my face straight reading that one, knowing how much Hornet hates Endeavour. The only one that trumps it is one threeway with Best Jeanist.”

Izuku let out another nervous giggle, “Gross, All Might, I don’t read that stuff.”

“I would be horrified if you did, young man. You’re too young for that.”

Izuku figured he’d always be too young to even think about those things. Stuff like that made his stomach turn and always made him click away and want to bleach his eyes.

Hornet walked back in with a chair and set herself on the other side of All Might, crossing her legs comfortably, “The power, and its origin. Don’t make it too long Toshi, I still have to go back to work and finish the paperwork of my discoveries.”

“What happened?” Izuku asked, wiping away the last of his tears, now more calm.

All Might closed his eyes as he thought about it.

“A long time ago, there were 2 brothers. The older, with the power to steal Quirks, and the younger, seemingly with no Quirk at all,” he said, slowly, laying down again, “the older one, calling himself All for One, began to rule the world, giving and taking Quirks as he saw fit. He used them for an evil, evil purpose, giving some people Quirks that would make them brain-dead and using them as puppets.

Then, slowly, it wasn’t just humans who had the Quirks. Bugs began to rise, and their Quirks could not be taken away. From this rose a bug who shined in the light, pale and benevolent. He saw the injustices of the human race and declared this land that UA now sits on his new palace, and built a quite literal underground kingdom to combat All for One. They called this bug the Pale King, the bugs calling him a God amongst us all. 

All for One saw this and decided to give his Quirkless brother a Quirk, one that stacks power, to combat the Pale King. But the younger brother saw what All for One’s true nature and betrayed him, instead teaming up with this Pale King. But neither brother was aware that the younger had a Quirk, a useless one that was the power to transfer it to others. The Quirks combined, and that’s how One for All was born.” 

Izuku stared at All Might, clearly thinking hard about what was said. 

“Was he ever defeated?”

“Not initially,” Hornet answered instead, “The younger one died, but not before passing on his Quirk. For nine generations now that Quirk has been stacking, gaining more and more power. But that wasn’t the end of it. While the Pale King was still around, another bug rose, one calling itself the Radiance. It had the terrifying Quirk of infecting the mind, making the individual one with itself, strengthening it, and turning them into husks of their former selves. And it fell in love with All for One. Together they were near impossible to stop.”

“Wait, that’s what those villains were saying!” the pieces in Izuku’s head clicked, “Kill the might and bring back the light!”

“That’s Radiance,” Hornet said, her silky voice filled with disdain, “The Pale King and his queen the White Lady had a plan to stop the Radiance and All for One, a terrible plan. To make a creature without thoughts or emotions to corrupt to imprison Radiance as the latest user of One for All killed All for One.”

“The Hollow Knight,” Izuku said in realization, “That’s who it was, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, Izuku,” Hornet said gently, “But he was an imperfect Vessel. While born of God and Void, there was some idea instilled in him. We need to replace it, or better yet, kill the Radiance.”

“R-replace?” Izuku asked, confused, “Well, how do we make another?”

All Might sat up in the bed and put his hand on Izuku’s shoulder, “Kid, this is going to be hard, but-”

“No,” Izuku shook his head, suddenly getting it, “Y-you can’t! She-”

“We’re not sealing her away forever, Izuku,” Hornet interrupted, “Calm down and listen. Since It found our Father, we were discussing another possibility for defeating the Radiance.”

Izuku glared at Hornet with tears in his eyes. _It_?! He’d never heard Hornet act so cold towards her sister.

Hornet continued, “Mother said before she became a Dreamer that perhaps the Hollow Knight itself was not sufficiently enlightened. Enlighten the Vessel and bring a true end to the Radiance and All for One.”

“To enlighten a Vessel,” All Might chuckled, “I would say it’s already on the path of true enlightenment.”

“What do you mean?” Izuku asked.

“You said earlier you both ended up in the White Palace, right?” All Might asked, and Izuku nodded. 

“Well, you see, it’s already a quarter of the way there with that half a charm. Find the other half and accept the responsibility of their parents,” All Might said, “And accept its true purpose. That's our current theory anyway.”

“You make it sound easy,” Izuku said with doubt.

“It is certainly not,” Hornet agreed, “If you don’t want your friend to be the next Vessel, you’ll have to watch your words. Little Ghost will slowly find out on her own, but it will outright reject it if we tell it everything like we did the predecessor.”

“I think that’s where we went wrong,” All Might sighed, “Telling Hollow Knight like we just told young Izuku here. And raising it like royalty, but we’re halfway there.”

Izuku looked down at his hands, a frown on his face, “I’ll have to...face him too, won’t I? The greatest evil there ever was.”

“Don’t worry, I killed All for One ages ago,” All Might laughed, then coughed up more blood. “Now, it’s Radiance’s turn. I mean, she is one of the greatest evils, but I refuse to let you face it alone. It would kill you in an instant, even with One for All. No, you'd need some more protections first than just your Quirk,” All Might rubbed his head, "God, this shit would be easier if the Pale King didn't go off and die like he did."

“For now, it seems Radiance is barely leaking out,” Hornet said, gently giving All Might a warning pat on the head, “At this state, she can only infect so many. And humans have an inherent immunity at this point if they reject her. That gives us time to prepare you both. And maybe a few others, should we need to go another route.”

“But what if-what if” Izuku stuttered, his brain spinning.

“Kid, you gotta trust us. We’re only letting you in on this because you’re my successor, and if Radiance is really back and tries to kill me again, you need to know this,” All Might said, “Your friend knows bits and pieces. They’ve heard only bits and pieces. Enough to piece together but not enough to truly know. Please don’t overload them, through their seeking, they’ll come to know on their own. Don’t force it.”

Izuku clenched his fists. He frowned further, body shaking before slumping. Tears came from his cheeks again, but he was only crying silent tears of disbelief. He needed time to process this.

“OK. If all of this is to prevent her from sharing the same fate as the Hollow Knight, I’ll do it," Izuku said, his steady voice surprising him.

“Thank you,” All Might sighed, then with the arm not using an IV, dragged Izuku close to him in a hug, “You’re going to be an amazing hero, you know.”

Izuku hugged back as Recovery Girl came in.

“Time to check that IV,” She said, beginning to remove it from All Might, “Dearie, your mother phoned and said that Hornet will be taking you home. How’s that finger?”

“Oh,” Izuku said quietly, then looked down at the bandaged appendage, “It’s feeling better since you healed it. I’m not as tired as when you first did it, and that time it was my entire fist.”

“Good, good,” Recovery Girl nodded, “You’re getting stronger. Be safe now.”

* * *

Izuku walked behind Hornet, mind racing. He felt sick to his stomach. The day’s events flashed by his eyes. The warning call, the White Palace, and...the death of his classmates. Now being told that his best friend...no! Hornet and All Might said there was another way, and damn it all if they'd take that way, no matter how hard it was!

The police, as nice as they were, had already taken his statement. Izuku still felt ill from that, being forced to recount everything. Even Mineta’s death… and the death of another. He hadn't yet found out, his phone had been taken away. They probably gave it to Hornet, since he could hear it's soft, familiar rings coming from within her cloak. The police were quick to separate all of his classmates, and questioned them quickly. Izuku felt a blush of embarrassment from how much he cried, and continued to cry, once the battle was over. 

The school was sorely empty. Classes were cancelled the moment the news hit, so it was only early afternoon now. The Kingmoulds were still patrolling, and Hornet led Izuku to a different classroom, knocking.

“Ectoplasm,” Hornet bowed her head as he came out, “My understanding was that Holly was in here. Are they finished with them?”

Ectoplasm bowed back, “Yes, she’s in here.” Ectoplasm turned to call her, then noticed Izuku, “Midoriya, what are you doing here?”

“He’s with me,” Hornet suddenly sounded very tired, “His mom asked me to pick him up instead, since her own car wouldn’t start up.”

“I see,” Ectoplasm said.

Holly emerged from behind them. She nodded at Hornet, but when she saw Izuku, she immediately jumped into a hug.

“Are you OK? You don’t look OK?” She asked.

Izuku just hugged her back, tears welling up all over again. It was way too much today. He felt a gentle hand separate them.

“We have to go,” Hornet said.

“Right,” Izuku let go and stepped back, wiping his nose with his sleeve.

They walked out of the school, the only others milling about were police officers and detectives. Izuku found it a strange sight, knowing some of his classmates were still being interviewed. He wasn’t sure if anyone else injured himself like he did or not.

They got into the back of Hornet’s car when Hornet asked, “Holly, I heard you went into the White Palace today. Can I see what you brought back?”

From her pockets Holly brought out half of the King’s charm and handed it over. Hornet turned it in her hands, looking at it carefully. She sighed.

“That is definitely from our Father,” She finally said, handing it back before starting the engine, “How was He?”

“Dead,” Holly replied, “But, to my understanding, this charm represents a union. If I want the full charm, I’d have to visit mother?”

“Yes,” Hornet said as they left the parking lot, “I can give you the address where they’re keeping her, if you wish.”  
“You’ve never visited your mom?” Izuku asked, looking at Holly.

“No,” Holly said as she put away the charm, “But this charm may prove useful, so perhaps seeking her out would be a good idea.”

Izuku looked out the window. The sky was cloudy. He felt tears come into his eyes again. He felt Holly's claw-like hands on him, and he chose to lean on her. He was suddenly even more tired.

“What do you know about my power? The origins of it," He asked to break the silence, the earlier conversation now worming into his mind.

“Two brothers, one with the power to steal Quirks, one without any. The other without had a transferable that merged with one the Quirk-stealer gave, and it’s been like this for generations, kept in secret,” Holly replied, “Did you not know?”

“No, I did,” Izuku replied, “What do you know about Radiance?”

Hornet gave a sharp eye from the driver's seat, “This is much too dreadful to talk about after today’s events! You both don’t need to talk about even more dreadful events of the past!” 

They pulled into a parking lot, and began to get out. 

“Sorry,” Izuku muttered, grabbing his bag.

The Hollow Nest Agency was smaller than most, and ran a smaller crew. The building itself was only a single story, although the entrance was rather intricate with patterns or swirls. At the entrance, there was a rock that Izuku could never read, but would glow if you touched it. Holly had once told him there was a poem on it, but would never disclose it to him. She always would insist the words were for higher beings alone, whatever that meant. There was a desk for reception, although Izuku could never see the bug behind the screen. They were buzzed in a rather large hallway. To the left, Izuku could hear the Mantis Lords sparing, crashes and shouts coming from within. Forward and there would be a few offices and a changing room for all of the bugs, as well as a weaponry. And to the right, different interviewing rooms. From the weaponry, a huge bug Izuku didn’t recognize at first lumbered out.

“Nailmaster Mato,” Hornet said as they walked in, bowing to the giant bug, “I have returned.”

The Nailmaster turned. Izuku could’ve sworn he took up half of the hallway, so huge was the bug. He carried an oversized nail-like sword, with a huge cape. His armor was a dull, greyed-out purple. 

“Hornet,” Mato said pleasantly, “And I see you not only return with your little Ghost but also another. I thought you said you had only one child?”

“I had to pick them both up from UA,” Hornet said, turning to the teens, “This is Nailmaster Mato. He’s recently joined the Agency. Mato, this is Hollow as they’re officially named, and one of their friends, Izuku Midoriya.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you sir!” Izuku said, beaming, “I’ve heard about you! Your nail can sweep away any opponent!”

“Oh, a charmer,” Mato blushed a little, shaking Izuku’s hands warmly, “If you ever want to learn a Nail Art, I don’t mind teaching you! I’ve recently moved to town to be closer to my brother Sheo.”

“Nailmaster Sheo right?” Izuku’s eyes sparkled, “I heard that he may be retired but when he was a hero he was just as fearsome as you!”

“Oh, Sheo would blush too,” Mato said, “Yes he’s been retired for some years now. He paints for a living. But I shouldn’t keep you. You probably have lots of homework! And I have patrols to do.”

Everyone moved to the sides of the halls to let Mato pass.

“Goodbye Hornet!” Mato called as he left, “It was nice to meet you, children!”

Izuku waved his hand wildly in goodbye, then blushed as the other two stared at him.

“All right, the pair of you, go to relaxing room 1. It’s empty right now so you two should be fine to do homework, if they assigned you any. I would be surprised if they did. I’ll be in my office finishing some paperwork.”

Hornet turned and walked down to her office while the pair went down to the very last room. Here the entire room was covered in toys, and painted like a garden. The entire room was so detailed that, even after many times of being here, Izuku would always find something new behind one of the decorative toys he was encouraged to play with as a child. On opposite ends, two couches that were so comfortable that it was always hard to not fall asleep in them. In the center, some chairs and a table.

“I do not recall homework,” Holly said, taking a seat on one of the couches.

Izuku took one of the plushies, a teddy bear that was in All Might’s likeness. It was one of his favorites, a limited time one from before he was born. He was always jealous that the agency somehow had one, but this one was faded, it’s Silver Age cape dulled from time and use. It wasn’t worth much, but he still quite liked it. Izuku sat next to Holly, cuddling the bear.

“No,” Izuku sighed, “They would be insane to assign us any after today.” He laid down and looked at the intricately painted roof, taking off his shoes.

“Are you alright?” Holly asked him again.

“We saw one of our classmates die today. My teacher is in critical condition from fighting super-powered villains. And I saw my best friend kill a villain. No, I’m not alright,” Izuku sassed back, then sat up quickly, “Wait, wait, sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude, sorry, sorry.”

“Deku, it’s OK, you can’t hurt me,” Holly smiled at him. 

Izuku slumped over, tears coming in his eyes again. He hid his face in the plushie, to hide it. He’d cried so much today that his eyes were sore and dry from it. He laid back down on the couch. He’d just close his eyes for a moment. He needed a single moment to gather his thoughts. 

In the next moment, Izuku felt himself being carried. He opened his eyes, startled, seeing one of the Mantis Lords was carrying him. He squeaked in surprise, still clutching the plushie. 

“Don’t worry young one, I will carry you to the car,” She said, “I heard what happened. You were a brave hero today. Let me carry you.”

Izuku knew it was useless to argue with her. The Mantis Lords were brutal heroes, known for kicking a villain’s ass so fast most could never process it. He also knew that if he rejected it, he would probably be forced to fight them since he was in hero training. So he let her carry him, although he hid his face in the plushie as soon as they walked outside. He hadn’t been carried like that for so long he felt like a helpless little kid again. The Mantis Lord even went so far as to put him in his seat. Izuku’s face was bright red again, not expecting such motherliness from someone so badass. 

“Uhm, her-here’s the toy back,” Izuku’s voice was shaky as he became aware that Hornet and Holly were beginning to get in.

“You keep it,” The Mantis Lord pushed his held out hand back, “We always let victims keep the toys, and no one has ever picked that old plush from all the years it's been here.”

“Th-thanks,” Izuku stuttered. He wasn’t sure if that meant the Mantis thought of him as a victim or not.

The Mantis Lord smiled at him, then closed the car door, leaving. Izuku hugged the teddy bear again. He had All Might’s power, but right now, he felt so helpless.

“I brought your shoes and bag for you,” Holly said, putting his shoes in the middle seat. 

“Thanks,” Izuku took them and began putting them back on as the car pulled away from the Hollow Nest Agency.

The sun was setting now. He’d slept away most of the day in a dreamless, exhausted sleep. The car ride was a silent one, and Izuku quickly stuffed the plush into his bag before walking to the apartment complex he lived in.

“Goodbye, Deku,” Holly said.

“If you need anything, you know where to find us,” Hornet said, and Izuku nodded.

He walked up the stairs and back home to find his mom basically tackling him and crying furiously. Izuku had no more tears to shed, only a quiet emptiness as he tried to console his mother. He had lived, after all.

That night, in his room, that emptiness turned to determination as he looked at his latest addition to his collection. Izuku would help his friend kill the Radiance as she was made to do, and he would become the greatest hero, the new symbol of Hope and Peace, with them at his side. He swore to it, and he swore he would save as many as he could. They would stop it properly this time, no matter what.

* * *

“I am the next one, am I not?” Holly asked as they pulled from her friend’s apartment complex.

“The next what?” Hornet asked.

“The next Vessel,” Holly answered, “Izuku murmurs in his sleep. I know my quest now.”

“You don’t have to embark on it now,” Hornet said, sighing, “Train at UA for a little longer. Become stronger. And let us take care of the League of Villains.”

They pulled into their driveway. Holly hopped out of the car, looking at Hornet, “Is that such a good idea? It’s already begun. I can feel my purpose beginning to call me, Hornet.”

“Would you still do it, knowing the full story? We didn’t tell him everything,” Hornet said as they unlocked the door, “You should know the sacrifice that keeps it standing. If, knowing that truth, you'd still attempt a role in this world’s perpetuation, then wait and let me guide you to the Grave in Ash and the mark it would grant to one like you. I'd urge you to take that harder path instead, but what end may come, the decision rests with you."

Holly didn’t answer, looking again at the half charm. “Then I shall take the harder path,” She finally said as they walked in, “An inconvenience, to take such a path. In the long run, the better one. But it is not just I who must go, will it?”

“For the harder path, no.” Hornet replied, “A difficult journey you and your companions will face in this path, but a choice it can create. Prolong our world's stasis or face the heart of its infection.” 

Holly sat on the couch, her Quirk healing her. After a moment, she spoke again. “I will do exactly that. To know your enemy is half the battle won. And they wish to be heroes too. But I will go it alone, if I must.”

Hornet looked at Holly, then grabbed a drink from the fridge. The little Ghost had fallen silent again, but the words hung in the air. From where did this vessel draw its strength, she wondered. It seemed to have much more drive than the Hollow Knight before it. And could it succeed? Would it be strong enough? She would have to trust the little vessel, and only hope to guide it. For now however, it seemed to understand. And it was choosing to not take the easiest way out.

Hornet took a swing of her drink. For once, she had hope that this just may work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A completely unique chapter? OH MYYYY.  
> Izuku finally puts together everything, and doesn't tell Holly about it. Hornet stops him from digging as much info out of Holly at this moment, since he's already been though so much. It probably wasn't a good idea to unload that much information to a kid that just saw some really traumatizing shit, but oh well. At least he's determined to save the world, and yet naive enough to think he'll be able to keep his best friend once this is all over :(  
> Holly and Hornet's relationship is more shown off. It's much more formal without others around, surprisingly. And to Hornet's surprise, Holly chooses to go through with the harder path. Hollow Knight himself went down the easier route of having Dreamers seal him up and becoming the Vessel rather than face the Radiance. Even though Holly doesn't fully get what the "harder path" means yet, Hornet is going to be a little more helpful than game Hornet and help guide her to where she needs to go. If you want somewhat of a hint I'm going for the "Dream No More" ending of the game. Otherwise Holly would just straight up leave and become the next Vessel, which would be a boring and rather short story tbh.  
> First chapter without Katsuki in it! Don't worry, you'll see more of him next chapter! Technically, we're done with season 1 of the anime if you compare it side-by-side :D  
> Next time, we'll get to see more of the ramifications, and the UA festival arc will begin!! I'm very excited to write about that!!!  
> Thank you guys for leaving comments, I love reading them~


	15. Sick Trauma, Sweeter Determination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As classes resume, the trauma still haunts some of 1-A. Despite their injuries and the deaths, UA decides that the show must go on, and announce the festival. They must show the world that nothing will put them down!  
> All Might and Izuku talk some more about the power, and what to expect looking forward. Meanwhile, Holly briefly becomes her true self, and makes an unlikely friend.

Katsuki washed off the blood from himself. They wanted him to get clean first before they interviewed him.

 _Her blood_ … he thought, as he scrubbed it away and into the school sink. It hurt him a little, to have not even really known the girl’s name. It was just “that invisible girl.”

Katsuki got queasy thinking about it, now that it was all over. That disgusting, sickly sweet smell. It didn’t smell anything like his hands, which always smelled like burnt sugar.

As if to purge himself of that other smell he let out small explosions, putting his hands to his face. Burnt sugar, he always smelled like burnt sugar. He’d assumed he’d get used to it, but using his Quirk brought the smell to the forefront of his senses. Katsuki figured that it was a side effect, being a mixture of both his parents’ Quirks. But it helped rid his mind of that moment. He burned his hands a bit more, letting the scent fill the locker room, slowly taking away the scent of gym socks and natural sweat.

That disgusting, sickly sweetness was gone. He took a few more deep breaths and finished haphazardly cleaning away the blood from his skin. 

The police officer who had been waiting a little ways away gave a start at how strong his hands now smelled, but didn’t make a comment. Just led him into another classroom, so they could start asking their stupid questions. 

Katsuki just wanted everything to end already. His hands were on the edge of exploding, but the scent was enough to help him keep down his breakfast, and keep away that scent.

“Thanks for coming,” He mutters to Holly. 

They were at the Seaside Beach the next day. It was late evening, late enough for the sun to begin to dip below the horizon. 

“Oh course Kacchan,” Holly replied, smiling at him. She took his hand gingerly, “Was there anything particular you needed?”

“Just...wanted to spend some time with you,” Katsuki smirked at her, and the pair began to walk down the beach. “I…” The words died at his lips. He didn’t really know how to put it into words.

“It’s OK Kacchan,” Holly said, “I heard they were cancelling our classes for tomorrow too.”

“Yeah,” He said breathily, looking at the water, “Some of our other classmates apparently got themselves really hurt.”

“None gravely so,” Holly said, “Only 2 casualties. For going up against such villains, it’s a miracle. They say Mr. Aizawa and Thirteen are doing so much better as well.”

“That’s probably why they’re cancelling it,” Katsuki mused. He was trying to not let the images of those other kids being gored, then stuffed with that orange, sickly-sweet smelling slime, like that girl was.

Katsuki held out a hand to the water and screamed as an explosion came out of it. The scent of burning sugar filled the air.

“Let’s just sit and enjoy the sight,” Holly suggested, then sat cross-legged.Katsuki sat next to her, leaning a head on her shoulder.

The moon was rising. It was actually a calming sight for Katsuki. He stroked the top of Holly’s hand as they watched.

He sensed Holly’s head turn to look at him, probably to check on his emotional well-being like he knew she often did for both him and Deku. Katsuki turned and kissed her passionately, to forget everything in the last few days, to wipe away his mind.

* * *

When their classes resumed, most of class 1-A squirmed in their seats. To be back, and wearing their uniforms, as if nothing happened, made their skin crawl. On the desks of the dead, the class had put on flowers to memorialize the ones they never really got to know. They didn’t really talk as they waited. They’d seen the news. 72 arrested, 2 dead. It wasn’t much to brag that you survived villains literally killed your other classmates, especially since some of the other students still sported the bandages.

“Are you OK Momo?” Denki asked from across the class, as Momo had her arm in a sling.

“I was more worried about you,” she replied with a sly smile, “you terrified us.”

Denki just gave her a thumbs up.

That first question seemed to break the tension in the air as the other students began recounting where they were, as well as how they sported their injuries. 

Mashirao Ojiro’s hand was severely cut when he grabbed what he thought was a pipe, but had turned out to be a shape-shifter disguised as one. Momo Yaoyorozu’s arm sling was caused when a villain grabbed what she was creating and re-stabbed her with it, straight into the arm. Hanta Sero was almost choked to death by his own tape if Mina Ashido didn’t come in and cut him down with her acid. 

Eirijo and Katsuki were eerily silent as the others, even Holly, talked about what happened. Eirijo stared at Hagakure’s old desk, with little flowers put on by the other students.

He saw someone waving a hand in front of his face, and looked up to Hanta staring at him sympathetically, “Hey man, it’s not your fault what happened. I heard you and Bakugo...found her.”

Eirijo wiped a tear from his eye and forced a smile, “Yeah, I know. I just… don’t want to talk about it man.”

Hanta nodded at him and turned to Bakugo, gently tapping on his shoulders.

“I don’t need your fucking sympathy,” He snarled instantly, “What happened, happened. I don’t want to talk about it either.”

“Ok, OK!” Hanta quickly said, putting up a hand in defense, “You’ve just been so-”

“I said I don’t need it!” Bakugo turned and glared at him, and Hanta fell silent.

Class 1-A was also startled to see their homeroom teacher walk in, although they could only tell it was him by his clothes and the hair that popped from behind his bandages. They fell completely silent.

“I should expel you all right now to save me the trouble,” His normally dull voice had a hint of razor-thin sadness, “But I’d be doing an injustice to our society for expelling kids who obviously can handle themselves, as inexperienced as you are.” Mr. Aizawa held out his hand to get murmurs to shush again, “They call you all the survivors of Class 1-A. Forget that. You’re just more heroes surviving another day of work. But if you want to leave now, I’ll expel you so you don’t have to face the shame of quitting. From the sounds of it, you all experienced and saw the more graphic stuff we show to second years. Now stand up if you want to leave now.”

The class was silent as they stared at their teacher.

“Oh, so it turns out you all have what it takes to go pro,” Mr. Aizawa nodded.

Iida raised his hand, “Mr. Aizawa, are you OK?”

“Yeah, your eyes!” Mina agreed, speaking up as well.

“My well-being is irrelevant,” he said dully, “Your fight isn’t over yet, however.”

“Our fight?” Kasuki muttered in surprise.

“”Don’t tell me…” Izuku exhaled in horror.

“The UA Festival is about to start,” He finished.

The students, almost in unison, cried out, “Why would you scare us like that?!”

“Let’s go kick some ass!” Eirijo exclaimed excitedly, jumping up.

“Wait a second,” Denki put a hand on his face and sat him back down as they turned to their teacher.

“Is it really a good idea to hold the sports festival after those villains snuck in?” asked Kyoka Jiro, looking at her teacher.

“They could attack once we’re all in the same place,” Ojiro agreed.

“Apparently the administration thinks this is a good way to show that the threat has been handled and our school is safer than ever,” their teacher said, “Plus, they’re beefing up security compared to other years. This event is a huge opportunity for all students at UA. It’s not something they’re not going to cancel because of those villains.”

“Uhm, I’m sorry, but those villains killed a few of our classmates,” Ochaco spoke up, annoyed.

Mr. Aizawa sighed, “Yes, I’m well aware of that fact, Miss Uraraka. But our sports festival is one of the most watched in the world. In the past, it was the Olympics. But since Quirks appeared, that’s been reduced to almost nothing. For anyone that cares, there’s only one competition that matters: the UA Sports festival.”

“He’s right, this is where you get scouted!” Momo looked at Ochaco, hand in a determined fist.

“Yeah, some people join agencies when they graduate and become sidekicks!” Deniki said, eyes with some stars.

“It’s true that joining an agency makes you garner more popularity and experience. That’s why the festival matters,” Mr. Aizawa said, “If you wanna go pro one day, then this event could open the path for you. One chance a year. Three chances in a lifetime. No aspiring hero could afford to miss this festival. That means you better not slack off in your training.”

“Yes sir!” The class replied in haste. 

“Class is dismissed,” He said, fully exhausted. 

Hours later, the bell for lunch rang. Class 1-A packed their bags, chatting excitedly about the upcoming festival, the distraction a welcome one. 

“This is nuts,” Izuku said, “Everyone’s so excited.”

“Well of course we are, we enrolled at this school with the sole purpose of becoming heroes!” Iida replied to him, standing up and throwing his hands out wide, “So naturally we’re all getting fired up!”

“Whoa, Iida, those are some interesting moves, Ribbit,” Said Sue, looking at Iida curiously.

Iida moved closer to Izuku, pointing at him with both fingers, “You have to be excited too, right Midoriya?”

Izuku shrugged, “Well, yeah, of course I am! And also nervous.”

“Deku! Iida!” A deeper voice from besides them said, and the boys turned to look at Ochaco, “Let’s do our best in the sports festival!”

“Uraraka, what happened to your face?” Izuku asked as Ochaco looked like she was about to murder someone.

“Are you alright?” Holly asked politely, coming from behind them.

Ochaco pumped her fist up, declaring “Everyone! I’m gonna do my best!”

Holly held up a fist when the others began doing so, although some of the boys began asking if Ochaco was really alright.

The class began to mill down the cafeteria. Today, Holly decided to walk with Izuku, since they hadn’t eaten together in a while. She listened quietly as he talked with his newer friends. If she had emotions, she concluded that she must be glad for him, for branching out despite everything.

“Hey,Uraraka, why do you want to become a hero?” Izuku asked.

“Well, if we’re cutting to the chase, for the money.”

“What?!”

Ochaco waved her arms out, blushing, “I know! And you two have such admirable motivations! I hope you don’t like me less now.”

“Well, if I may say, I am becoming a hero because I was made for no other purpose,” Holly said, giving her an encouraging smile, “So, having a choice is still admirable.”

“Oh, Hollow, are you one of those kids from an arranged Quirk marriage?” Iida asked, turning to her.

“Something like that,” Holly bowed her head at him, “But, I still had a choice. With friends wanting to become heroes, it encouraged me to join them.”

“Hornet would’ve never let you be anything else anyways,” Izuku let out a nervous laugh.

“Wait, Honert?!” Ochaco asked suddenly, suddenly acknowledging Holly, “You didn’t tell me you knew the great princess hero!”

“Well, you never asked,” Holly replied, “She and I are related. She was the one that raised me.”

“What’s she like?” Ochaco asked eagerly. 

Holly put a clawed finger to her chin, pretending to think, “She can come off as cold, but she is only stern. I know she cares deeply for all the victims she saves, and will do multiple follow-ups if she thinks it's needed.”

“She’s so cool!” Ochaco exclaimed, “Do you think you can introduce me?”

“Young Midoriya!” A voice shouted, and all four turned. All Might was around the corner. He held up a very small, blue with white poka-dots, lunch box.

“Do you wanna eat with me?” He asked.

Izuku gave a start, glancing at his friends. Iida and Holly gave him a single nod, and Izuku ran over. 

“Yes, of course!”

* * *

  
  


The lounge was quickly marked _In Use_ as All Might closed the door behind him, deflated back into his lanky form.

All Might smiled at him, “Hey kid. How are you feeling?”

“I should be asking how you are,” Izuku said, sitting on a chair across a neat little coffee table, “I’m fine.”

All Might touched his side, “Well the old lady tells me there’s not much else she can do. I can still only use my powers for like, 3 hours a day,” He replied, sitting adjacent on a worn out couch, “Luckily I didn’t burn myself out saving you guys.”

“Yeah, I saw the news,” Izuku said as All Might turned on a device on the table to make tea, "And today, in class, we all shared about our own injuries. I was worried during the days off."

“None of them are as bad as Aizawa, luckily” All Might said, “He’s the only one who is permanently maimed, as you saw.” All Might sighed, pouring out that cup of tea for the pair of them.

“What’s wrong?” Izuku asked, looking up at his idol.

“Hornet called me yesterday saying our new vessel’s going to take that harder path we’re talking about,” All Might said with another sigh, “Which means for us, a lot more work.”

“What do I have to do?” Izuku asked, “And what does she have to do?”

“Waking the Dreamers, and… enlightenment. However Hornet has it planned. Bugs have really weird and hyper-specific rituals they have to follow for enlightenment.”

“Does that mean she’s leaving school?”

All Might laughed, choking up blood, “No young Midoriya! She’d have left if she chose the easy path. It just means… actually, I don’t know what it means. Hornet says we’ll know she’s ready when we see it. So all we have to do is focus on defeating the League of Villains.”

“And what can I do?” Izuku asked, determination and passion in his voice, “I want to help defeat this Radiance too!”

“Focus on school,” All Might said, “And focus on mastering One for All.”

“That’s it?”

“You can’t really do much else at this point. Besides, mastering One for All will help you all around.”

Izuku held up a fist, “Then I will! And we’ll stop it this time, forever!”

All Might smiled. This kid was passionate and had the drive, for sure. He wished that Hornet had more to give him so All Might himself could understand better, but bugs were a different species. When Hornet tried to tell him, to explain she slipped into a completely different language, the language the Pale King would sometimes speak to the first Hollow Knight. No one else seemed to understand, and when All Might tried to learn it, he found that his brain literally couldn’t comprehend it. 

“I brought you here mainly to talk about that. The festival is coming up, and your biggest problem is that you don’t have too much control over it yet. So what’s your plan?”

Izuku looked up at All Might, his own memory startling him, “Hey, wait, I did once! When I landed a smash on that brain villain, there was no backlash!”

“Oh, that’s right, you did mention that. What was different about that smash?”

“Let’s see,” Izuku paused, as he thought hard, “We were facing real villains, and I didn’t have much time to think, but maybe that’s part of it, since I knew this just wasn’t more training.” Izuku looked down at one of his hands, remembering some more. He made a fist, breath catching in his throat, “This was the very first time I’d use my Quirk on another person like that. “

“Hmm,” All Might mused, “Seems like you’ve succeeded in subconsciously putting on the brakes so you wouldn’t kill anyone. “ All Might looked up, “Hey, that’s some more progress at least. You called me yesterday too? What for?” 

“Oh!” Izuku exclaimed, remembering, “The other night, I woke up! Someone was calling me! And One for All started acting up.”

All Might’s eyes rose up, big and wide. “What did the voice sound like?” 

“A female! But, it was more than female. It had an,” Izuku waved his hands, thinking, “It was...almost holy.”

All Might put a hand to his chin, “Almost sounds like the White Lady. She hasn’t really messed with humans since the Hollow Knight was made. Your tea’s getting cold.”

“Oh!” Izuku picked up his cup and took a tentative sip, “The White Lady… that’s the Pale King’s wife, right? Queen of the bugs?”

All Might nodded, “Yeah, she’s a bit of a bitch.”

Izuku jumped and looked at All Might in horror, “What?!”

“Well, she is, especially when she decides to summon you,” All Might said, “Nothing in the world will stop her from calling you whenever or however she wants.”

“There was another voice,” Izuku said, “When I was in the Palace. It was masculine, it was asking me to bring another.”

“The Pale King?” All Might’s eyes widened, “Or, perhaps, a leftover ghost from a dream. What did he say exactly?”

“Bearers of One for All, bring me another,” Izuku said, remembering the voice, “It felt like an old recording.”

All Might sighed, “Yeah, back in the day, the person before me, my own master, had to bring the Pale King Vessels, since only users of One for All can stand going into that...place,” All Might explained, “The Hollow Knight was chosen shortly after I became a user and my master died trying to defeat All for One.”

Izuku’s face fell, “Oh. But what about the White Lady?”

“The White Lady’s still alive and well. I should’ve picked up the phone, I’d have definitely been at the USJ,” All Might sighed.

“No, it’s my fault for not telling you right away!” Izuku insisted, tears welling in his eyes, “If I did, no one would’ve died.”

“Stop,” All Might turned into his full, muscular form, walking over and kneeling to Izuku's level, “This grief is normal, and you must learn from it. But don’t let it drown you, young Midoriya.”

Izuku’s tears spilled out as he cried again, and All Might deflated, wrapping him completely into a hug.

He let Izuku cry for some minutes, giving him pats on the back. Izuku quickly calmed down and broke it, apologizing, but All Might waved it away. The first deaths you probably could have prevented always ate the souls of young heroes at first. It would have to be something he'd learn to deal with eventually. All Might went to the window and looked out. 

“Soon, I’ll have to put the title of being the world’s symbol of hope and peace to bed,” All Might said, “Some of those villains are starting to notice I’ve been getting weaker,” He turned and looked at Izuku, who was giving him a look of nervous determination, face still a little wet, “This festival will be your debut! This sports festival is something the pros, no the entire country, will be watching closely! You are the fledgling symbol of Peace, the next All Might! Izuku Midoriya, you must introduce yourself to the world, and proudly say ‘I am here!’”

Izuku’s face froze, the sudden waves of nervousness rolling off of him. He let out a small gasp, “But All Might, that’s your catchphrase! Besides, what am I to do?”

“You know how it’s set up, don’t you?” All Might asked, walking back to the couch.

“Well, yeah, of course!” Izuku said, still looking at him, “Separated by year, and then support, general, business and hero courses fight each other. Whoever makes it through the initial games face off in the finals.”

“Right!” All Might pointed both fingers at him, “Meaning you’ll have plenty of opportunities to sell yourself!”

“I guess.”

All Might fell backwards on the couch, the couch going down with him, groaning as Izuku began muttering how he was already being trained by the world’s greatest hero, how it didn’t feel good to get excited after everything that just happened, and he kept going on and on to himself.

“Kid, no one’s better at spouting word vomit than you,” All might said as blood slowly dripped from his mouth.

“Oh, hey are you OK?”

All Might looked at him from the floor, only bothering to move his head, “Some heroes always aim for the top, while others happily settle. The difference between those mindsets will affect you in the real world.”

Izuku looked away, discouraged.

“I understand how you feel,” All Might awkwardly got up to look at him, “And I may be projecting myself a bit onto you. However, I hope you haven’t forgotten those emotions back on the beach during training.

The bell rang and lunch ended. Izuku shook his head no, and All Might gave him one last hug.

"You'll do great, just aim for the top and declare yourself the newest hero!"

Izuku's heart was only half in it when he nodded back, drying his teary eyes with his sleeves.

* * *

The other 3 walked down by themselves. This was Holly’s first time being around other humans in a social setting without those she had known her entire life. This would be indeed interesting for her, to say the least. She put on her most neutral smile and listened.

“What do you think All Might wanted with Deku?” Ochaco asked them as they got in line. Holly shrugged, looking ahead. She could sense Ochaco’s inexplicable dislike for her coming back now that Deku was gone.

“I dunno, but it might have to do with his power,” Iida replied, “Remember what Asui said on the bus? About their powers being similar? That might be it. Plus I heard he went back to help save All Might with a couple of others.”

Holly saw, ahead of her, Shoto turn his head to look at them. His face was set, expression as unreadable as hers would get. They locked eyes.

Holly knew he was listening. Stepping forward, Dream Nail in hand, she struck only him.

 _All Might and Izuku Midoriya, huh?_ Came the thought, then his eyes went wide.

“Please don’t you dare think of reading my mind, Hollow,” He told her, “It’s rather rude to read other people’s minds randomly.”

Holly knew she was getting better and the Dream Nail if he didn’t notice the dreamcatchers.

“You look troubled,” She replied smoothly, “I came only to talk, not to read minds.”

Shoto’s eyes widened again, then he looked away in embarrassment. Shoto seemed to consider the possibility for a moment, then looked at Holly again.

“What was it like for you, being raised by a pro hero?” He asked her carefully.

“Rather uneventful for human standards,” Holly replied honestly, “Before my Quirk came in, I played a lot. Afterwards, I would sparr and play with Katsuki, and study and relax with Izuku. We would all sometimes meet, but it got less and less the older we got. Hornet herself was distant, but by human standards, you would call her very supportive. How about you?”

Shoto’s eyes became slits. Holly could read that he was going through an array of emotion. As if nothing was truly amiss he said, “My father is not the best. And my mom is...not in the picture.”

“My condolences,” Holly said.

“Oh, she’s not dead!” Shoto quickly amended, “I don’t like talking about it.”

“You don’t have to,” Holly said, now in the front of the line. She just grabbed the first thing she saw, some rice with a piece of burger on top, swimming in gravy. Shoto himself took the same. They paid for their food and walked away.

“Well, what do you like to do?” Holly asked him. They sat down, she noticed, a few tables away from Katsuki. He was sitting at a table with a few other of the boys in 1-A. She recognized the electric Quirk boy and the red-headed one, and hadn’t noticed her yet. That was OK, now he was beginning to make friends too, outside of their little circle.

Shoto looked surprised as he picked at his food. 

“I...can fight.” He said. “When I can, I like reading.”

“Anything in particular?” Holly asked, and Shoto shrugged.

“Something quick that I can finish in a day. Father doesn’t like me wasting time on fictional books.”

“Well, you can gain many lessons from books like those,” Holly replied happily, eating her lunch quickly, like most bugs did, “I’ve read stageplays, but Hornet has taken me to a fair few of them. She loves the theater.”

“Stageplays?” Shoto said, trying to hold himself back from jumping out of his seat. He leaned back, but there was a small, eager smile glued to his face, “I like stageplays.”

Oh? What kinds?”

“The dramatic ones are the best!” He replied, a bit too eagerly, “Mom used to take me to them when I was really little. I always like the dramatic, long monologues between hero and villain before an epic showdown with both actor’s Quirks. But the quiet ones, where they just tell a story using their Quirks, those are the best!”

“Which one is your favorite?”

“Well Hollow, Macbath is one of my favorites! Especially the newer versions where they make the witches and Lady Macbeth the only ones with Quirks in a Quirkless world, and they make Macbeth go crazy! There was this one I read about where Lady Macbeth is supposed to have a killing Quirk, but they don’t specify, so each performance can vary wildly for her and the witches!”

Holly matched his expressions and body language, copying the eager look now in Shoto’s eyes, “Oh! Hornet took me to one of those once! The actor who played Lady Macbeth in that one had a Quirk that could turn plain metal into screws, and so it was played off like she could do that to people. The scene where they turned the king took a very different and amusing turn.”

Shoto was trying to not shake in excitement. He really had no one ever to share this secret passion he had with. He had only gotten away with sneaking reading those older plays because they were required for school, although they had soon become somewhat of an extreme guilty pleasure for him.

“I’ve heard about that one! I heard it was hilarious!”

In Shoto’s eyes, Holly noticed that the repressiveness died. He was, she realized, as isolated and lonely as the pair of boys she grew up with and had always known. Maybe even more so, for she had heard from Hornet how they needed more solid proof to take him away from his father. How Endeavour supposedly treated his children ran through the whispers and rumors of the highest heroes, but now, talking to him, she recognized it too. How the lights of passion could leave a mistreated human come and go in an instant. She had become an expert in keeping Izuku’s lights alive, and now, in a different environment, he was beginning to come out. Katsuki too, now away from the pressures of middle school, as his own sparks began to shift and change. Despite the past few days, they were beginning to step out of the shadows of that neighborhood.

Now it was Shoto’s turn, to bring out the spark.

“Enough of me,” Shoto stopped suddenly, embarrassed by what he’d said, “What was it like growing up with those two?” Shoto asked.

“Oh, I don’t remember much from before my Quirk, but I do remember liking them,” Holly said, “While now they’re not as close as they used to be, they’re both very good humans.”

“Were there no bugs around? I was under the impression bugs and human kids don’t mix well.”

“Oh there was,” Holly said, “I suppose it was because we were all the same age. I remember our first meeting. ‘Best friends forever,’ I remember Kacchan declaring,” Holly smiled at Shoto, “We’re still very good friends. We all still live in the neighborhood, and since we’re the only UA students, the only company we have is each other’s. Although, that may seem to change,” She glanced at Katsuki, sitting some tables away, his loud voice laughing.

“Are you jealous or something?”

“Jealous? No, Shoto, I have no feelings. I would like to think if I did, I would be glad that those two are slowly branching out from the loneliness of that neighborhood.”

Shoto’s eyes widened at the words. He gave her a look of disbelief. As if to answer him, Holly dropped the human act. The sparkle in her eyes was put out, her expression going neutral, voice now expressionless. Anything and everything that indicated there was a soul within her, suddenly went out.

“I put on the act for the sake of humans. Hornet says my Quirk killed what little spark I may have ever had.” She explained to him. The emotion came back, the posture. That spark in your eyes to indicate you were alive, was rekindled. 

“I see,” He said, smile dropping, “That’s why father calls you an abomination.”

“Well, your father has said a lot about me, perhaps. I have only seen him in person once. He gave off the impression of pure hate for me and my like.”

“Yeah.”

“I am surprised you let me eat with you today. From the way you speak, he sounds,” Holly waved her hand, as if to think, “A bit… abusive. And very racist towards bugs.”

Shoto grit his teeth. But there was a spark in his eyes, a spark of defiance, “Well, he is.”

“You deliberately defy him by becoming friends with me?”

“I didn’t expect you to be so forward about it.”

“I am not one to dance around. But if it is defiance that keeps you well, I would oblige you for it.”

Shoto sighed, then looked at her, a small smile forming on his face, “For something so emotionless, you’re rather considerate.”

Holly mimicked the smile back at him, “Despite having no emotions, I know everyone else does. And if I am to become a hero, I must consider them, and act in a way that will leave the outcome better for all, even if it seems pointless to me. It is what I, too, was made for. I have heard that is the entire point of my existence.”

“Well, it seems like we do have more in common than I thought….Holly,” Shoto finally took a bite from his food. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to originally end it with Katsuki and some other asshole getting into a fight in the cafeteria over the deaths, however, the more I wrote about Shoto, the more I wanted him to kinda star in his own scene :D  
> So I deleted it >w>  
> That poor baby needs more love.   
> And so, as another big middle finger to his father, Shoto somehow befriends the emotionless Vessel Holly. Yaaay. He's never had a friend before. Certainly not someone he could share his most guilty pleasure: theater. He only has shared his love of stage plays, but don't worry guys.... I'm going somewhere with this, I swear. If you know where this is going then you're grinning like an idiot like I am writing these notes :D  
> For those who don't know Hollow Knight as well and are reading this for the funsies...you'll see :)  
> It'll be some GOOD SHIT


	16. Let the Festival Begin! Ready, Set, GO!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku has a fight with Ochaco. Class 1-A is stopped by the crowd, but Holly dropping her human act drives them away, as well as another student jealous.  
> Two weeks later, and the festival begins, and the race is on! Everything is fair in this race for first place!

Many weeks passed, the festival itself growing ever closer.

Class 1-A slowly recovered from what was now known as the USJ Incident, finally taking off their bandages. They were hurt, but with the festival, it was something else to look forward to than the hell they'd been put through. 

The trio had somewhat begun to split off from each other in these weeks, but still walked to and from school, much to the surprise of their other classmates. 

"Doesn't Bakugo still pick on you?" Ochaco had asked Izuku, two weeks before the festival.

He shrugged in reply, "Yeah, he does. But I can tell there's nothing malicious behind it. It's his way he shows he cares."

"So he actually cares about us?" Iida had asked in surprise.

Izuku let out a small chuckle, "Uhm, no? He yells and screams a lot but until he's cursing at you to stop being an idiot and calling you out on your lies you can't really tell."

"He doesn't do that to that _girl_."

Izuku swirled his fork in hand, looking down at his rice, "What did Holly do to you that makes you hate her Ochaco?" He didn’t want to answer her question, knowing that between them, there was a little bit more going on.

She looked at Izuku, startled, then a blush creeped up her face.

"Nothing, I just…she's really creepy, even though she was raised by someone so cool!"

Iida smiled. He knew. Ochaco had a crush on Izuku, and was crushing hard.

"You know Uraraka, that Hollow doesn't seem to strike me as someone interested in that stuff,” Iida said.

Ochaco's face went completely red, "Oh god Iida how gross!"

"Stuff? What stuff?" somehow, the question flew straight over Izuku's head.

"You are indeed too innocent for heroics," Iida smiled slyly.

Izuku blushed, not knowing what to say, looking away. He thought he knew what they meant, now, but...he didn’t like Ochaco like that. He could only really see her as a friend. He couldn’t even fathom a romantic fantasy, just eating lunch with her, surrounded by people, was all his mind could muster.

Gazing away, he could see Holly sitting with Katsuki today, talking and laughing in his friend group. Ochaco’s hostility had driven Holly away, so she now alternated between Katsuki and Shoto, whom she’d begun to hide books in her locker for. He knew they just really talked about what they read, plays. It didn’t interest him too much, but the hobby surprised Izuku. He wished he had the guts to ask Holly to eat with him again one day, just the pair of them. But he didn’t want to offend his new friends either. It was harder to spend the spare time outside of school now, with all the studying and exercise he had to do. It was just the brief minutes they walked home together now. Yet… no matter how many, or how intimidating, she would stand up for anyone. Those lonely days of without a Quirk came back into his mind, being shunned and snarled at, or the passive insults hurled at him. And once the tables begin to turn, he so easily turns his back.

“Well, she’s my friend too, and I don’t like how you just treat her like that,” Izuku surprised himself, but his face turned determined, “I like talking to her too, and she’s only ever been nice. You treat her like she’s beneath you, and that just rubs me the wrong way.”

“Oh,” Ochaco replied, as if she didn’t know, “I’m sorry Deku.”

Suddenly losing his appetite, Izuku stood up, “Uraraka, my name is Izuku.”

He grabbed his lunch and walked away from them.

The last class of the day. Everyone was talking excitedly, but as they opened the door, a crowd of students was out, looking in on class 1-A.

“Uhm, what the heck are all you doing here?!” Ochaco asked, stepping back.

“What business do you have with our class?” Iida asked the crowd.

“They’re scouting the competition, idiots,” Katsuki said, walking towards the crowd, “We’re the remains of a class that survived a real villain attack.”

Some of his classmates gasped, but Katsuki didn’t care. Izuku held out his hands as if to apologize to the crowd, hoping Katsuki didn’t use his Quirk against anyone.

“At least now you know what a future pro looks like,” Katsuki said, now at the doorway, “Now move it, extras.”

From behind, Iida, Ochaco and Izuku almost had a simultaneous heart attack at Katsuki’s boldness.

“So this is class 1-A,” A singular voice spoke above the rest, and some of the students parted to let through a tired looking boy with purple hair, “I heard you guys were impressive, but you just sound like an ass. Is everyone in the hero course delusional or just you?”

Katsuki looked at him and growled in annoyance when he felt Holly’s hand on his shoulder. He glanced at her.

“Lead the way, Kacchan,” she said, not caring for the crowd’s thoughts, then looked past him, “Please move, human.”

The purple haired kid rolled his eyes at Holly, “How sad to come here and find a bunch of egomaniacs. And some of you are the kids of pros? The standards have fallen.”  
Holly stared blankly at him, letting her emptiness show to get the watching crowd to part. Kids immediately backed away at the sight, seeing only a dark husk with bright, lifeless eyes staring into their very souls.

The purple haired kid raised a single eyebrow, assuming this was her Quirk, “With a Quirk like that, how did you ever get in? You wouldn’t have been able to cut it with the entrance exam, like me and so many others.”

“Tch,” Katsuki walked past him with her in tow. Holly chose that now there should be silence.

The boy saw how the life within the black girl resumed, and it no longer felt like he was staring at a walking corpse. He was planning to declare war, to declare that since there were open spots, that he would get in by doing the best and become part of their class, but that darkness seemed to have stopped him on his tracks, even after the Quirk seemed to stop. The boy was jealous of this student, on the inside, vowing that he would personally win against her should the time come.

From the other side of the parting crowd, a voice rang out to the pair, “Hey! You! I heard you survived a villain attack! I’m from class 1-B! You think you’re better than us?!”

“Dude, you both gotta say something, it’s your fault they suddenly hate our class now!” Eirijo scrambled and called to them as they stepped into the hall.

Katsuki and Holly glanced back.

“These people don’t matter,” Katsuki said.

“Huh?”

Katsuki glanced at the dispersing crowd, knowing that Holly was the one who scared them away, “The only thing that matters is that I beat them.” He glanced back again, looking at Izuku, “Get a move on ya dumb nerd, we have a train to catch. Otherwise you’re riding by yourself today.”

Eirijo wiped a tear at how manly the statement was as Izuku scrambled a bit after the pair as they began leaving. Once the crowd was gone, Holly let go.

“Did you really have to scare everyone like that?” Izuku asked Holly as less and less students were around.

“It was too crowded to squeeze by,” Holly replied.

“You were showing off, admit it,” Katsuki said, smirking, “Even that purple dweeb seemed to be intimidated.”

Holly let out a giggle and looked at him, “I admit it,” She lied.

“Well, you’ve made our lives so much harder now,” Izuku said.

“Damn it Izuku, I already said they didn’t matter. I’ll kick their asses anyways, and I’m kicking yours as well. And I’m going to be the best.”

As if he’d been slapped, Izuku remembered how Katsuki told him that, on the first day of school. Even in middle school, the convictions, the confidence. He remembered what All Might said, about his attitude. Happily settling, while others would go for the top. How this could affect him in the real world. With more time to process what had happened to his fallen classmates, he was reminded of what he felt when he was told he could have All Might’s power. That drive. The need to be number one, to be the greatest hero to ever live. 

“I’m counting on it,” Izuku said, and Katsuki’s eyes widened with equal madness, and more determination.

* * *

Two weeks. 

Izuku sprinted down the beach he had so long ago cleared, to train his body. To master One for All better, he’d need to exercise more efficiently. It wouldn’t be a lie to say he hadn’t been doing it every day, but now, it was time to get back into the routine!

Class 1-A was allowed to use the training grounds to help them prepare. Katsuki would go and clear the trees of the false forest, watching his explosions clear the field. Alone, Holly would practice with her nail, bouncing off of platforms and mastering the Crystal Heart’s speed by starting and stopping. Izuku would use the school’s gym, along with his equipment at home, trying to keep the healthy balance All Might planned to help his muscles grow most efficiently. He’d learned his lesson about overdoing it this time. At home, Shoto practiced by himself, outside, every evening, not allowed to be with others.

The two weeks passed so swiftly for everyone. Maybe it was Katsuki’s words that motivated them. Maybe it was the entirety of the other freshman hungrily looking at them like a pack of wolves on a fresh kill. Whatever the case may be, the festival was now here.

* * *

**_ The Festival _ **

At the entrance, some journalists complained about the long security line, while others rejoiced in the controversy of the festival being held. Excited chatter filled the air of the talks of people Hornet caught snippets of conversations as she passed.

“God putting this on was a bad idea, those Kingmoulds scare me.”

“I like third years the best!”

“Did you know that Class 1-A lost some kids? And they’re still putting this on!”

“I can’t believe they’re doing this, but I want to see what those survivors showed those villains!”

“Hornet and Endeavour’s kids are first years this year! This festival is going to be amazing!”

Hornet let out an annoyed huff hearing that last one as she landed besides Mt. Lady.

“I’ll have two of those, if you please,” Mt. Lady sexily told the vendor, who was so happy to shove two funnel cakes at her. Mt. Lady turned and smiled at Hornet, holding out a funnel cake, “I knew you’d find me, so I just got us two of these beauties.”

Hornet silently took one, nodding, “You’re scouting too, Mt. Lady?”

“Oh no dear, they hired me for security,” Mt. Lady replied, and the pair began walking, “I wish I was scouting, but I figured I could always rewatch the show later.”

Lifting her mask only enough to fit the food through, Hornet nodded. The cake was an OK one, although she noticed Mt. Lady seemed to enjoy hers greatly.

“You shouldn’t be using your status as a hero to get free food, you know,” Hornet said.

“Oh come on, I see you eating what I just scored you.”

Hornet gave a small smile, “Yes, well it would be a waste. For future reference.”

“Got it,” Mt. Lady winked at her as they walked towards giant screens that held the before-event commentary for the first years, “Hey, I heard your daughter was in here?”

Hornet had long accepted the cover story from long ago, although it always surprised her hearing other people call the Vessel her daughter. With the small company she kept, they all knew their true relationships.

“Yes,” Hornet replied, “They are.”

“Oh! A trans?”

“Well, they vary between pronouns. So…” Hornet tried to think of how the humans described this state of being, knowing they were picky about labels, “Non-binary, I think.”

“Oh! Always love seeing more representation!” Mt. Lady squealed happily.

* * *

In the waiting room of class 1-A, Mina complained about wanting to wear her costume to the festival while others assured her that then everyone has to just use their Quirks to stick out more.

Holly was sitting on a table, resting, eyes staring into nothing as she listened to her classmates chatter. She had registered her Nail so that she could keep it with her through the entirety of the festival, and it was strapped to her back, ready to be unsheathed at a moment’s notice. Katsuki was drumming his fingers on the table impatiently as Izuku was taking deep, nervous breaths. 

Tenya opened the door abruptly, “Everyone! Get your game faces on! We’re entering the arena soon!” 

“No, shit?” Holly heard Katsuki mutter to himself in annoyance.

“Midoriya.”

Holly turned her head to look at Shoto as he approached her friend. 

“Hey Todoroki, what’s up?” Izuku asked.

Now the entire class was watching, as now this was the only entertainment in the empty room.

“From an objective standpoint, I think it’s fairly clear I’m stronger than you,” Shoto told him.

Izuku let out a confused, nervous noise, and nodded, “Uh-uhm, yeah.”

“However, you’ve got All Might in your corner, helping you out. I’m not here to pry about what’s going on between you two. But know that I will beat you.”

Izuku’s eyes widened in surprise, his mouth opened a little from the bold declaration.

“What’s with the sudden declaration of war?” Denki asked, leaning back in his chair.

Eirijo stood up, putting a hand on Shoto’s shoulder, “Yeah what’s the big deal? Why are you picking a fight all of a sudden?”

Shoto elbowed him away, saying much more fiercely, “We’re not trying to be each other’s friends,” He turned and began to leave, “Don’t forget this isn’t a team effort.”

“Wait a sec Todoroki,” Izuku said, passion slowly going into his voice. Shoto stopped. 

“I don’t know what’s going through your head, or why you think you need to tell me you’ll beat me,” Shoto turned and looked at Izuku as he continued, “And yeah, of course you’re better than me. In fact, you probably have way more potential than anyone in the hero course. That’s why you got in so easily.”

“Midoriya, maybe you’re being a little hard on yourself, and the rest of us,” Eirijo held out his hands, to signal for him to calm down a bit.

“No, he’s right you guys! All the other courses, they’re coming at us with everything they’ve got.” He clenched his fists, looking Shoto in the eyes, “And I’ll be aiming for the top, too.” 

“Fine,” Shoto replied.

“HEY! Make some noise you rabid sports faaaaaaaaans!” Present Mic’s voice filled the stadium for the first years, and the crowd went wild, “Get those cameras prepped you media hordes! This year we’re bringing you some of the hottest sports festival performances, guaranteed! I’ve got only one question before we start the show: ARE YOU READY?! Let me hear you scream as our students make it to the main stage!”

The crowd’s cheers seemed to double throughout the stadium. Fanfare and trumpets played loudly. 

Izuku’s mom glared into the TV, nervous as she waited for her son to walk out. All Might watched intensely, waiting for his heir to come. 

The first years stepped out, walking confidently into the field.

“Welcome to the UA Sports festival fans!” Present Mic continued, “Where future heroes fight for fame and celebrity! This first batch of students are already familiar with the spotlight! You know them as the survivors of a villain attack that killed 2 students and left more injured, but the remainder stood up and beat fully grown adults: CLASS ONE-AAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY!”

Almost visibly, as the class walked into the field, you could see some of the students flinch at the mention of the villain attack, and being reminded of the fallen. To be called out like this, and to be known only as survivors, made many glare, their faces set in determination, to prove they were more than a simple villain attack. 

Nervously, Izuku looked around, eyes wide and scared, “I didn’t know there’d be so many people!”

“I hope we can still give our best performances,” he heard Iida next to him say, “Especially with all these eyes on us. I suppose it’s another aspect of being a hero we all have to get used to.”

“Present Mic really didn’t have to bring up that villain attack, but he talked us up so much it made me nervous,” Eirijo said, then leaned forward to Katsuki, “How are you doing man?”

“I’m not worried at all,” Katsuki grinned evilly, “Makes me want to win even more.”

“They haven’t gotten as much screen time, but this next batch is chalk full of talent! Give it up for class 1-B!” Present Mic continued, listing all the courses and heroes as everyone stepped out.

Some of the general studies students complained, thinking that they were just there to make the hero students look better. The boy who had first confronted Class 1-A looked forward, a spark of determination in his eyes. 

The first years gathered, and Midnight was standing there. Once the students realized who it was, some began to comment on her outfit, saying it was too sexy, or not sexy enough. 

“Time for the moment of silence!” Midnight called out, as three statues rose from the ground. The figures had their heads bowing, the statues facing the students, as if both giving them a nod of respect, and watching them carefully, “Silence for our Dreamers!” The entire stadium fell silent, as Midnight bowed her head to the statues, “To protect the Hollow Knight, the Dreamers lay sleeping.Through their devotion, our world lasts eternal. We bow our heads to Monomon the Teacher, Lurien the Watcher, and Herrah the Beast!” Midnight looked up, and the crowd let out a polite, brief claps before settling down again.

“And now, for the student pledge! This year, we have Katsuki Bakugo!”

Class 1-A gasped in surprise as Katsuki walked up the stage, hands in pockets.

“He’s the first year rep?!” Izuku asked nervously.

“He said he placed first in the entrance exam,” Holly patted Izuku, “What a surprise! He didn’t tell us he was going to have a speech.”

A girl from general studies sighed, “ _Only_ for the hero course exams.”

“That girl obviously hates us,” Sero muttered under his breath.

Izuku gulped, watching Katsuki with wide eyes, nervous at what he’d even say. 

“I just wanna say, I’m gonna win.”

“I knew he’d say something like that!” Class 1-A cried out, horrified, as not just the other students booed, but the entire stadium. They called him cocky, overconfident, but Izuku knew. This was deliberate, he was painting a target on everyone’s backs. In middle school he’d have told everyone off and made a joke, but Katsuki unapologetically walked off the stage, still looking bored. He bumped into Izuku deliberately, and the boys locked eyes. Izuku could read the raw determination that his friend had a burning desire to win first place.

A screen popped up before the students, reading _FIRST GAME_.

“Without further ado it’s time to get started!” Midnight spoke over the crowd, who now calmed down, “This is where you begin to feel the pain! The first fateful game of the festival!” Midnight raised her arm as fanfare played, “What could it be?” She asked, building the tension in everyone.

 _OBSTACLE RACE_ the screen flashed.

“Ta-da!” Midnight cried out, looking at the screen, “All 11 classes will participate in this treacherous contest! The track is 4 kilometers around the outside of the stadium.” Midnight turned to the students, licking her lips and raising a hand, “I don’t want to restrain anyone, at least in this game. Mmmhmm,” Midnight let out a seductive groan, giving the students a feeling that she would love to restrain them, “ as long as you don’t leave the course, you’re free to do whatever your heart desires!” She gestured to a big, red door, “Now then, take your places contestants!”

The crowd went wild as the students walked to the entrance gate. Holly noticed how small it was, and placed herself somewhat in the back, ready for when the students crowded to jump above them and use their own heads as a way to platform out ahead. Her friends disappeared in the crowd, and she looked up at the door. The lights started counting down.

_Three.._

_Two…_

_One…_

“BEGIN!” Midnight shouted, and Holly let the students rush forward before running after the now crowded hallway. A mass of students shoving and screaming, and she jumped above them, then dashed, then used her shimmering monarch-like wings to bounce again before she hit the first student on the head.

Dashing again, and using her wings again, Holly began moving forward in the sea of students rapidly. She could hear her homeroom teacher and Present Mic talking about what to look out for when she noticed the walls beginning to freeze. The students screamed at her for being so harmful, but at the front she landed. Shoto was in the lead, and she could hear her classmates screaming at him for his dirty trick. More specifically, Katsuki screaming how he’d murder Shoto and that he wasn’t going to get away so easily. She charged up her Crystal Heart, flying forward, stopping and starting again to move through the curve until she stopped next to Shoto, then began to jog at his side.

He looked at her as she kept pace with him, and she gave him a single nod. 

Shoto shook her head at her as he continued to freeze the ground behind him, but Holly’s feet easily kept their balance.

“I didn’t expect so many people to dodge that, especially from other classes,” He admitted to her as they ran, “Why aren’t you using your Quirk to get ahead of me?”

“I would rather not race into danger alone,” She replied, “I would rather tie, place second or third, as winning doesn’t matter to the likes of I.”

Shoto understood the bug’s mentality, and was glad that he’d both show off his Quirk, and probably place first. A shadow loomed over them, and both paused briefly to look up.

“AND WHAT IS THAT?” Present Mic’s voice now came into focus as Holly looked up curiously, “Oh, enemies have shown up from out of nowhere! A test of strength and cunning! It’s a ROBO INFERNO!”

The students from behind them began to scream in disbelief, as giant, green robots stood in front of them menacingly.

“So this is what the other students faced in their entrance exams,” Shoto muttered, raising his hand as ice began to form around him, “The obviously went through a lot of trouble, but I wished they prepared something else, especially since dear old dad is watching,” Shoto swung out his arm, freezing the robotic beasts as they began to step towards him in a wave of cold blue.

The ground froze as Holly jumped, ice crystals forming all around. Ice dropped from the air, crystals of a beautiful spectacle as the robots now glittered beautifully. They were now frozen displays of a horrifying winter wonderland, similar to how bugs decorated. Each ice formation is very intricate as some formations twist up the robots as if carved there, while others sparkly in hexagonal shapes. If she could, Holly would have stopped and appreciated the beautiful work he had done with his Quirk, like the other students. But this was a competition, and there was no need to pretend and marvel, there was only winning. She dashed after Shoto and ran under the robots with him as the others cheered for him.

“You put on a spectacle and dashed as they stood in awe, not freezing them all the way,” Holly noted as the ice began to thin out, and the robots broke free.

Shoto smirked, “They better be careful, I froze them off balance too. On purpose.”

Behind them, metal began to move again as the robots thawed out too quickly. Holly could hear crowds cheering as drones flew above them, capturing it all on camera.

“We both can’t win, you know,” Shoto told her, and Holly smiled at him, “There can only be one winner.”

“Make me ‘slip’ on some ice in the end.”

“Deal.”

“And look at our leaders! Shoto Todoroki, son of the number 2 hero Endeavour, and a young girl named only Hollow, the adopted daughter of Hornet, the number 11 hero!” Present Mic’s voice filled their ears, “It looks like they’ve chosen not to attack each other for now and race together! What a cute couple they could make! I bet that would really get their parents’ blood boiling!”

Shoto huffed at the thought. He wanted to piss off his father, but he didn’t want to be killed by him. Besides, if anything, he would find a partner out of love, not like the disgusting way he was born into this world. He felt Holly glance at him, but he focused ahead. Not now. Give them a show, a close race would drive the crowd crazy. Shoto didn’t really know how Hornet felt about him personally aside from the time she ‘saved’ him from his little runaway, but Holly never spoke ill of her. And she didn’t seem to be the type to lie or underplay anything wrong, unlike him. So he let her keep pace with him, knowing the only one this would truly bother was his father.

Both stopped at a carved canyon with ropes, gaping holes. One wrong move and they could fall in.

Holly charged up the Crystal Heart and easily flew across as Shoto jumped on one of the ropes and began to skate at her speed, crossing it just as effectively. Holly stopped herself as Shoto jumped off the ropes, and she could hear Present Mic’s voice again.

“And our two leads, Hollow and Shoto Todoroki, have crossed that treacherous canyon! And despite their parents’ feuds, these two don’t seem to have any animosity between them! Dare I say, let’s get an instant reply! Were they smiling at each other earlier?! What do you have to say, Earser Head?”

Shoto rolled his eyes at Present Mic’s commentary.

“For now it seems those two have decided to not fight for the lead and instead share it. Good for them,” Mr. Aizawa’s voice filled the area.

Students were behind them, now beginning their own journey across the canyon as the leaders raced ahead. From behind, Holly heard Katsuki scream something, but she could not understand him over the commentary of Present Mic.

“AND THE FINAL OBSTACLE! BE CAREFUL, IT’S RATHER EXPLOSIVE NOW!” Present Mic’s voice boomed in loud excitement.

“A minefield,” Shoto breathed.

“To be first now is a burden,” Holly replied to him, beginning to walk forward.

The mines and where they were buried was barely visible to her, but they were there. She could hear Present Mic beginning to monologue about the mines, and the other competitors, but she concentrated one step at a time. One step forward, another to the side, slowly, carefully. Shoto was besides her, taking his own, careful steps, and for them, it was like an agonizing dance. They were still in the lead, and now there were explosions in the background. The other students were now catching up, and rapidly. 

Almost there now, to the end. Two-thirds of the way through now.

Holly turned, the distinct and familiar strong smell of burnt sugar filling her nose. 

“Ha, ha, ha, it’s over now you two!” Katsuki yelled as he used his own Quirk to speed past, exploding everything in his path.

Shoto turned, surprised.

“Bastard! Your declaration of war was to the wrong person!” Katsuki fired straight at Shoto, and he dodged. But now Katsuki was ahead of them.

Holly decided now was the time to just gun it as Shoto and Katsuki began to fight each other as they went forward, trying to outsmart each other.

“Don’t you think I forgot about you Holly!” Katsuki shouted, making a mine from beneath her feet explode. Mid-air Holly turned and let out a vengeful spirit attack at Katsuki, now forever ruining the front of her gym shirt. Katsuki ducked under it as Holly dashed forward, and used her wings to keep her in the air. Now compromised she hit the ground with her nail using another explosion and repeating the progress, keeping her momentum forward.

Katsuki flew towards her with his Quirk and knocked her out of the air. Holly was fortunate enough not to land on a mine as both leapt forward. Katsuki wanted the lead by himself, and he would be damned if he wouldn’t fight them for it.

From behind, a mega explosion. Everyone turned.

“What was that explosion? That was WAY bigger than it should have been!” Present Mic’s voice shouted eagerly. 

From the pink mist, Izuku flew out, traveling high and fast through the air. He had taken a shield from the robots in the beginning and had used it to protect himself, like a makeshift boat. 

“Whatever the case may be, Class 1-A’s Izuku Midoriya is in hot- no scratch that, taken the lead!” Present Mic’s voice shouted.

Katsuki stopped worrying about Shoto and Holly and propelled himself forward. Holly charged up the Crystal Heart and let it take her forward, leaving explosions behind as Shoto froze the ground and skated after them all.

“Those three have stopped fighting and are pursuing Midoriya! That’s what having a common enemy will do to you folks!”

Holly noticed Izuku was about to land between Shoto and Katsuki, his face pure determination. Izuku kicked both down and slammed the shield onto the ground, causing another explosion. He was propelled forward, much further away from any of them, and as soon as he landed, she saw red burns sink into his skin as green electricity shot from his skin, and he sped forward, faster than ever before. 

From behind, Holly still used the Crystal Heart, as the finish line was a straight shot from here. At these speeds, sounds blurred into nothing, and all she could control was her sight. But she could tell the commenters, as well as the crowd, was going wild. Katsuki passed her, using his Quirk made him much quicker, as Shoto caught up to her.

She didn’t stop as she and Shoto tied for third place, instead choosing to crash into Izuku, who had begun to cry again.

She knocked him down and flew a few feet back.

“Deku!” She put on her most happy voice for him, “You won!” she stood up and raced towards him, then quickly helped him up. 

“Yeah I d-did,” He said through his tears, “But you pl-placed too.”

She stepped back and bowed respectfully at him. Holly knew Hornet was watching, somewhere, so she bowed at the crowd as the others soon began to finish.

“You did good.”

“Stop, you’re going to make me cry harder,” Izuku said, crying harder.

Holly smiled at him, turned her head to the screens, waiting for the next challenge to be announced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I squished this into one chapter since I wanted the entire race to be one chapter! I didn't make the beginning its own chapter, since it didn't make sense. A scene that had to happen, so I placed it here, before the festival. Don't worry, Izuku will make it up to Holly, once the confidence boost from the festival helps him out greatly!!  
> Some more of Hornet, but I decided that she wouldn't run security, she'd be a scout. Her agency, while an incredibly good one, can't spare more resources to send out people, especially since Hornet is taking a rare day off to both scout and watch to see how Holly does. Dwaaaa, she does care! XD  
> Shoto is much more showy, as you can tell uwu  
> Instead of fighting, Shoto decides it would piss his father much more if he shared the spotlight with the "daughter" of someone he hated in his profession. 10/10 Shoto what a cool burn XD
> 
> Didn't focus much on the other students, it goes much the same. Izuku doesn't use his Quirk except for at the very end, since he doesn't want to accidentally overdo it, so it's largely the same except when, as you read, he used his power to dash at the end :3  
> Sooo proud of hiiiiimmm


	17. Cavalry Battle!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The teams are set, and the battle begins. The crowd goes wild watching this year's 2nd round: the Cavalry Battle!  
> Meanwhile, Hornet comes up with a plan to finally put Endeavour's son into custody of the Child Protective Services.

“Deku,” Katsuki growled as he looked at Izuku, murder in his eyes, “Not again!”

Holly walked over to him, giving him a bow, “Kacchan! You did good!”

“Not good enough!” He growled at her, still staring at Izuku, “I lost to him again.”

“There are still the next rounds,” she replied, listening to the commentators, “Let’s get back to the stage, and see what is next.”

Katsuki nodded, but he still was glaring at Izuku. Izuku turned, saw the glare, and his face went red as he skirted away.

“Don’t scare him so!” Holly chided him.

“He beat me!” Katsuki protested, “Besides, everyone will be on his ass now, so he should be scared.”

Holly chose to not reply, but she did agree with him.

“Gather around students! Only the first 48 students will be allowed to advance!” Midnight announced as the last of the students walked through the gates. There were groans from those who fell in last. They all trudged forward and gathered around. 

“The first game for the first years is finally over, and what a game that was!” Midnight held out her arms, and the audience cheered, “Now let’s take a look at the standings, shall we?”

Holly looked above at the board, and she noticed she and Shoto were both marked as third place, while the last placer was marked as the 47th.

“While only the top 48th will advance to the next round, the rest of you don’t have to worry! You’ll have your chance in the limelight later!” Midnight informed then, hands going on her hips, “And for you winners, here's how this next one will go! This next challenge is: Cavalry Battle!" 

The screen showed All Might being carried by Thirteen and another whose face was obscured by the picture. "Teams of at least 2 and up to 4 will compete together! Your job is to steal other people's headbands! You will only have 10 minutes to get as many points as possible! If the person you're carrying falls onto the ground, you're out of the game, and all the points you have will be lost! Each team member is worth a set amount of points! Last place is worth 5 points while the next is 10, and so on! And the first place winner is worth 10 million points!"

The crowd cheered, and Izuku felt himself pale as every eye turned on him, like starved hyenas that had finally found food. He was reminded of middle school again as he tried to put on his most determined face. 

"That's right everyone," Midnight pointed to Izuku, who looked like a deer in headlights, "This is the perfect opportunity for those at the bottom to overthrow the top! Only the top 4 teams will make it to the next round! We'll give you all 15 minutes to form your teams as we go on this commercial break!"

Confetti burst from behind Midnight as the crowd went wild, a timer appearing behind her. Midnight walked off the stage as the students dispersed.

“Hey, Holly-” Izuku immediately went to her.

“Oh, Deku, I’m not a fool!” Holly interrupted, “I am going to team up with neither you or Kacchan. I will be making my own team. We must become our own heroes, must we not?”

Izuku’s face fell. There goes that plan immediately. 

“Yeah,” He weakly agreed. Holly gave him a single pat on the shoulder, and left him to make his own.

“Oh, Midoirya! Friends should stick together!” Uraraka ran up to him, dancing in excitement.

Izuku looked at her, wondering if she never got the hint of him not talking to her for the past two weeks. He never really checked, so maybe she was off training during lunch instead. He knew he was.

“Sure, why not,” Izuku replied, already beginning to think up a plan with her Quirk. He walked through, looking for another familiar face.

“Iida!” He called, jogging up to him, “Did you wanna work together?”

“Sorry Midoriya,” Iida replied, “I’m already on a team with Todoroki.”

It took Izuku a second to register that he meant Shoto. When talking to Holly, she always referred to him by his first name, as bugs tended to do. 

“Oh, OK,” He nodded, “Well, good luck!”

“We’ll be gunning for that 10 million,” Iida told him, and Izuku almost sputtered as he tried to find at least 2 other people.

Meanwhile, Holly was searching through the crowd.

“Mashirao Ojiro!” Holly greeted her classmate, the one who had a huge tail, “You would be a great partner for my team.”

Ojiro didn’t reply to her as Holly walked in front of him. She waved a hand in front of her face, and, recognizing he was not of the right mind, swiftly hit him with her Nail.

“Huh, what?!” He snapped out of his illusion, “Oh, hey Hollow. I must’ve dozed off.”

Holly nodded, “Did you wish to be on the same team?”

“Yeah, of course!”

“Hey now, why are you disbanding my team,” a somewhat familiar voice said, and Holly turned around, “Tail guy, did you want to be on my team?”

“Oh, sorry, unless you want to be part of ours?” Ojiro’s face fell, and became smooth.

Holly looked over at the boy with purple hair.

“If you are to so casually steal him, let us be on a team together,” Holly told him, “Or I shall snap him out again.”

The boy smirked, holding out a hand. They shook.

“Hollow.”

“Hitoshi Shinso. You’re the one who creeped the hell out of everyone the other day.”

Holly bowed her head at him, dropping the act again. Shinso took a step back, then smiled.

“You’d be a great front runner,” He said, “If you intimidate everyone, they won’t want to steal our points. Conversely, my Quirk will convince them to give me theirs.”

“It sounds like a solid plan,” she replied. There was a sudden call within her, as if an invisible hand was reaching out to her to try and take her for its own. Mentally, Holly batted it away. Now was not the time to answer the calling of her mission. She needed to get stronger, after all.

The boy looked at her, confused.

“Is something amiss?” she asked.

“Your voice is rather hard to pin down.”

“I _am_ a bug.”

"I mistook you for a human."

"Most do."

Again, the calling. Holly realized it was Hitoshi as she batted it away. This was different, and if answered, if might spell consequences for him that now was not the time to face. To call upon the Void and summon it normally drove those insane, and she saw no advantage of driving him to madness at this moment. Her Shade, seeing the logic of this, settled as she stared back blankly.

“Did you want one more teammate, or are the two of us enough?” Holly asked him.

“Well, one more seems best and you can be up front,” Hitoshi answered, deciding to not try again for now, “Let’s see…”

There was one guy Holly recognized from 1-B with a belt around his stomach. Hitoshi called him and he immediately was caught in his Quirk.

“That seems to be enough,” Hitoshi looked at Holly and nodded, “Let’s get our banner and wait out the rest of this break.”

They got their headband, and Holly noticed that Izuku had formed his own team, as well as Katsuki. Her team was worth 470 points. Izuku's was worth over 10 million. She couldn't see what Katsuki's was worth.

"We'll focus on taking other's headbands," Hitoshi said, "everyone will be after Team Midoriya, so we'll at least come in second. Got it?" Holly nodded as she propped his legs on her shoulders. She took out her Nail to defend their front side.

"Tail guy, switch to our right," Hitoshi ordered, seeing Holly hold the Nail with her left hand. There was a brief shuffle behind her as Holly dropped the human act again, letting her darkness show as they waited for the battle to begin.

* * *

Hornet had long since walked away from Mt. Lady and was strolling inside of the Stadium. With her Hero's Pass she was able to go to a private, exclusive viewing room. Expensive, yes, but the Princess of Bugs could easily afford it. She watched with interest the humans and bugs race. Most bugs opted not to be actual heroes, and those that were in the class she would eventually have to welcome to Knighthood as they became heroes. She watched the other bug in Class 1-A with interest, who seemed to have a Quirk outside of the usual: acid. An interesting Quirk, and Hornet decided to keep an eye out to see if the young bug would be interested in joining her agency.

It didn’t surprise Hornet to see the Vessel share the spotlight, and that it did not seem to care for the human traditions. It was doing as it was told, and it was told that it had to complete the challenges and advance to prove its worth. Although, Hornet wondered, did it even understand what worth was? It was a worthy opponent, it attacked sharp and with purpose, but did it have self-worth? Hornet had never seen the Vessel cry, no, it always looked happy, and away from it’s “friends” its facial expressions were none. Perhaps not, she thought, as she noticed it let the other ones win.

They still placed rather high in the races. Tying with Endeavour’s child made it rather interesting. 

Hornet left when the break began, to get some actual food. The funnel cake Mt. Lady had offered it wasn't really _food_. Making her way to the indoor vendors, where many were, Hornet went to one she knew sold good bug food.

“My lady, what will you have?” The beetle asked her.

“Your rarest steak covered in flies, Vendor,” She replied, and the beetle smiled. Hornet took out her Geo and paid for what amounted to warmed-up raw meat. Spinning silk rapidly, she wrapped up the food quickly, so save every drop of delicious blood and flavor before lifting her mask slightly to begin sucking out the blood.

“How do you even do that?” A familiar voice said behind her. Hornet turned.

“I am half spider, and this is how we eat,” Hornet replied with sass to the deflated All Might, who had come from break to grab a drink. He chuckled at her response.

“You scouting?”

“Scouting and watching my child,” Hornet told him, “Some of your students catch my eyes.”

“I see you bought out an entire room again.”

“I like my silence.”

All Might could tell Hornet was smiling at him under the mask as she sucked more out from her food.

“Your heir seems to be doing quite well so early on,” Hornet commented, walking towards him, “He has your to announce himself as Small Might.”

All Might spat out his drink and laughed hard. “Sm-small Might?” He wheezed, coughing up blood, “For all things good and filled with hope Hornet you’re the only one who can get me to laugh like this.”

“Calm yourself _Big Might_ , or you might find I am good at CPR,” she was referring to a fanfiction both had recently run into, about themselves again. All Might laughed harder, wheezing, tears in his eyes as he clutched his sides.

“I-I’m” All Might tried to calm himself down, “I-I now want to find something that refers to it as my Small Might.”

Hornet let out giggle, “Come on you, we can watch the rest of the games and talk too, if you wish.” 

"No, I have to head back. I just hate getting swamped when all I want is a drink.”

Hornet waved, and the two parted. She could hear the announcement that break would be up in 5 minutes, and began strolling back to the room, sucking on her snack.

“Hornet,” a more menacing, gruff voice said.

Hornet stopped and turned, pulling her mask down all the way as she faced Endeavour.

“What do you want, false hero?” She asked with venom.

Endeavour chuckled, unbothered, “I just noticed our offspring were getting along.”

“I will not push my feud with you upon the children I raise, if that's what you are here for,” Hornet replied coldly.

“Then I'll get to the point. That child is an abomination that I do not want to taint my son!” Endeavour spat, “I want it to stay away from him. I heard it befriended him, and it is corrupting his mind! Surely you, as a hero, would understand that if they get into a relationship, it will distract from their studies. Kill that possibility now, for both their sakes.”

Hornet glared at him, carefully thinking. Amazing manipulation, but Hornet could not be swayed, knowing 2 things: the Vessel had no emotions, and it had long ago told her of its relationship with Bakugo. Hornet barely approved of it, but it’s cold logic and matter-of-factness about the entire thing made Hornet further realize that it was once again pretending, and even pretending to have attraction to something.

Hornet loathed Endeavour for even attempting such a tactic, but she loathed the child abuse more. She had been trying to nail Endeavour for years on it. Unfortunately, his son was too afraid to speak against him, and his injuries were too easily explained by being too eager to use his Quirk. And what human would even bring such charges against him? He was the second best, according to his own species. But second best pales to the Higher Beings of the bug world, and Hornet was the daughter of one of the most powerful, to the King Himself. It would have to be on bugs to bring him down, and Hornet knew that most were keeping such a sharp eye on him, eager to bring this vile human to his knees.

An idea formed in her head. After this tournament, she would need to command the Vessel to do her a favor. This seemed like the perfect way to help save Shoto Todoroki, so she turned, ignoring Endeavour and walked back to where she reserved the room. Endeavour didn’t follow. But she felt the heat of his anger on her back, and she let her own anger turn into a cold, hard, calculated plan.

* * *

  
  


“ANNND WE’RE BACK YOU CRAZY SPORTS FANS,” Present Mic’s voice boomed across the stadium. The crowd cheered, “All of our teams have been chosen, now watch as this free for all begins! Remember, if the horseman touches the ground, that team is out, along with all their points they have! Only the top 4 will get in! A 10 minute timer has been set! 30 seconds will be taken off of every team that is out! NOW, LET US BEGIIIINNN!!!”

Midnight held up a flag as the kids prepared themselves. Scores flashed on the screens of every team, Team Midoriya sticking to the mind of the crowd as number 1, the team with 10 millions points.

“Three, two, one, GO!” Midnight shouted.

Most students ran straight for Team Midoriya while Team Shinso darted for the nearest team next to them.

“Hey, give me your points!” Shinso shouted.

“No way!” The horseman of team Rin answered, but his face fell, and he took off his banner and handed it to him.

“Fall to the ground.”

“Hey, what are you guys-” but he stopped as he saw what appeared to be a rotten, black corpse stare back. He jumped back and lost his horseman.

“ONE TEAM IS ALREADY DOWN!” Present Mic shouted with glee, “AND IT HASN’T EVEN BEEN 10 SECONDS!”

30 seconds was taken off the clock as Team Bakugo’s horseman jumped up to attack, attempting to grab the points away from Team Midoiya. A Dark Shadow blocked the fireball as he was reeled back in by one of his carriers.

“Technically, he’s still in because he didn’t touch the ground!” Midnight announced to the screaming crowd. 

Team Midoirya ran, surprisingly mobile, as the ground beneath other teams froze solid, stopping them in place. Team Todaroki was to blame as their horseman grabbed banners left and right. Not all teams were frozen, however. Teams Tetsutetsu, Monoma, Shinso and Kendo were still moving, stealing headbands as well.

“FIVE MORE TEAMS ARE TAKEN OUT FROM THAT WINTER WONDERLAND FOLKS!” Present Mic screams as the cameras flash over the fallen as they’re forced to leave the arena.

Team Monoma takes the headband straight off of Team Bakugo’s head, using their horseman’s own explosion Quirk against him. They all taunt him.

Team Bakugo head straight to Monoma, determined to get their original headband back! Drones filmed closely as their horseman screamed murder at Team Monoma. 

“I’m going to get you for that one you cocky bastard!” 

The crowd gasps at his language, but cheers louder. 

“GO BAKUGO, BAKUGO!”

The horseman smirks as they race towards Team Monoma. They put up a shield, but the horseman of Team Bakugo lets out a huge explosion! The crowd goes wild as Team Bakugo not only knocks them down and out of the race, but has stolen all of their headbands! In victory he holds them all up to the crowd before swiftly putting them all on.

More teams are taken out by Team Shinso, ticking the clock down faster and faster. Only 5 teams left! And 4 minutes to show! Team Midoiya still holds first place!

The crowd is screaming loud as an ice wall appears around Team Midoriya, locking them into a corner of the rink with Team Todoroki!

“Stay to his left!” Their horseman commands.

“I’ll be taking that from you,” Team Todoroki's horseman says.

The Teams walk hesitantly around each other, the crowd roaring at them.

"STEAL IT, STEAL IT, STEAL IT!" the rapid chant goes out, filling the stadium.

Team Todoroki charges, but Team Midoriya flies up and to their left thanks to one of their carrier’s Quirk! They land swiftly, keeping to the left of Team Todoroki.

“Ice up my engines!” One of the carriers yell. Too fast for the human eye and fast enough for the camera's to catch, Team Todoroki steals first place!

“AND TEAM MIDORIYA HAS FINALLY LOST FIRST PLACE TO TEAM TODOROKIIIIIII!” Present Mic booms, “They have exactly 2 minutes to get back into a place or lose out on the next round!”

The crowd goes wild at this development, hungry that the top has been taken down! But it would be no surprise, for their horseman is the great Endeavour's son! 

Outside, Team Bakugo is circling Team Shinso. They’re not swayed by their classmate’s creepiness, and instead focus on trying to get into the ice wall. Their horseman tries to explode his way in, but nothing is working! The others who try to steal his array of headbands are kept at bay by the acid one of his carriers fling, so they wait. They want first place too. But if they wait, they’ll win. Both teams have a great chunk of points.

Back in the ice rink, Team Midoriya lunges again at their opponents, trying to steal back the points. Outside, they can hear Team Bakugo trying to bang their way in, but Team Todoroki keeps the ice wall up and refreshes it. They’re not getting in anytime soon.

“20 seconds remaining!” Midnight yells. 

“Fumikage! Use your Dark Shadow! Mei, boost us, we need to get something!” Their horseman commanded, and the team charged. Team Todoroki dodged.

“10 seconds left!”

“AGAIN!”

The team lunges desperately for the 10 million as Team Bakugo finally breaks the ice wall. The timer rings as a cloud of smoke, ice crystals and sugar-scented fire fills the air.

The three teams are staring at each other.

“TIME!” Midnight calls, “Let’s take a look at the winners!”

The students dismount, breathing heavily.

Team Todoroki is announced the winner of over 10 million.

Team Bakugo is announced 2nd place, with 1,750 points.

Team Shinso is the proud team of 3rd, with 1,365 points.

Team Midoriya dismounts, but the crowd can see that one of the carriers, the one with that Dark Shadow, had snagged some headbands. 

They scream as Team Midoriya is announced 4th place with barely 1,000 points stolen from Team Todoroki. What a turn of events!

The cameras zoom in on everyone’s reactions, and the world is touched and a little bit put-off at the horseman of Team Midoriya trying to hide his tears of happiness. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took me a bit longer, mostly because work and some obligations got in the way.  
> I'm glad it's done now! I'm eager to post the next chapter!  
> As you can see, that last part was in the point of view of the crowd, and the cameras. Rabid sports fans is right, depending on who the camera is focusing on, the crowd could easily be for or against you. Holly's team didn't get much limelight since it wasn't exciting to watch, but the other 2? Hell yes. Although at the end, that last team just standing around... yeah that's how you lose, but they were against someone who could mind control you and someone who could throw acid while their main dude throws explosions XD  
> I didn't announce everyone's points aside from Holly's and Izuku's.... mostly because I didn't want to keep this chapter behind with maaaath. So..yeah XD  
> Leave a comment guys, I love reading them :3


	18. Halftime: The Grimm Troupe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hornet puts her plan into action, and with Holly's help urges Todoroki into participating in the halftime show. Todoroki does, and unleashes the theater kid within him, winning great prizes.

“Alright you sports fans, the Cavalry Battle is officially over!” Present Mic’s voice boomed.

Midnight motioned for the 4 teams to gather around her.

“Now that that’s over, let’s see what the next round will be!” Midnight said, the screen behind her flashing up.

ONE ON ONE FIGHTING the screen said.

“One on one!” Midnight announced, “Each student will be randomly assigned to another, and it will be up to you to knock out the opponent, render them unable to move or get them to step out of bounds or surrender! Everyone will get the announcements after our halftime show, this year done by the Grimm Trope! But for now, let’s give the students a break and get to a commercial break! We’ll be back soon, sports fans!”

The students dispersed, some going to get food from vendors while Holly, Izuku and Katsuki opted for the locker rooms.

Holly walked between the pair as the crowd soon dimmed through the dome.

“You did good out there Deku,” Katsuki said, which made Izku jump in surprise.

“What-Kacchan?!”

“Don’t expect me not to kick your ass still, can’t a guy tell his friend he did a good job?”

Izuku blushed furiously and held out his hands, “It’s not that Kacchan it’s just this is the first time you’ve said something so nice to me during a competition and-”

“Shut up ya damn nerd.”

Izuku looked down, trying to hide his blush, but through his eyelashes peeked at Kacchan.

“Little Ghost,” A voice called, and the trio stopped to see Hornet standing there.

“Hornet,” Holly bowed.

“Is there something wrong?” Izuku asked her.

Hornet shook her head, “No, I merely need to take them to get a new shirt. That gym one is utterly ruined.”

Holly walked over, but Hornet waved away the boys.

“I needed to talk to the Ghost about personal matters as well, children. She will join you in your stands shortly.”

Katsuki and Izuku looked at Hornet, confused, but they knew better than to question her.

“See ya later Holly,” Katsuki said.

“Yeah, see you,” Izuku nodded, and both went the other way.

Hornet led Holly away, pulling out a simple, dark blue shirt that had arm holes big enough for her wings.

“This will only be ruined by my use of Soul,” Holly said simply.

“I just needed to speak to you alone, and ask a favor,” Hornet informed her. She looked around, and seeing no one, leaned in close to Holly.

“Keep a close eye on Shoto Todoroki. Don’t let him see you. I need you to observe him with his father.” Hornet instructed.

The Vessel didn’t question this. They nodded.

“And, convince him to play with the Troupe if he is not with his father.”

The Vessel nodded, “Is that all?”

“No. Go now, little Ghost.”

The Vessel bowed and swiftly melted into the dim halls, is dark skin aiding it greatly.

* * *

Shoto Todoroki was proud of himself today. He hadn’t used his father’s side once, and it pleased him.

He heard footsteps behind him. Todoroki turned, using his fire to light the hall. He was walking by himself, the halls surprisingly devoid of anyone. He refused to call out and even suggest he was afraid. Just a bit startled was all.

The only thing he could see was the shadows that danced in the walls….and… were those Hollow’s orange eyes staring back at him?

More flames seemed to suddenly light the hall, and Todoroki turned to see his father. He glared at the man who had raised him.

“What do you want?”

“Don’t use that tone with me, boy,” Endeavour growled down at him, “Is there anyone there?”

Todoroki glanced back down the hallway, squinting. The eyes were gone. He decided to glare at his father again. 

“Stop this childish folly and use your flames, boy. You disappoint me as my greatest masterpiece.”

“I refuse to do anything with what you’ve given me, _father_ ,” Todoroki spat back, “I’m getting along fine with mother’s Quirk.”

He knew it was coming, but that didn’t stop the slap from stinging.

“You’ll find the limits of that bitch’s Quirk soon enough! Use both of our Quirks Shoto! Claim your birthright and surpass that fool!”

Todoroki looked his father defiantly in the eyes, and he could see another slap coming.

Spark flew as Endeavour’s hand hit not his son’s skin, but the hard, unyielding Nail of a bug. Holly pushed him back, putting herself between Shoto and Endeavour, holding out that Nail in challenge.

Endeavour and Shoto’s eyes widened at this sudden appearance. 

“We leave for our class, Shoto,” Holly said simply, “Or I will kill your father in a duel to the death.”

“You’re a foolish child if you think you can beat me!” Endeavour yelled at her, but she didn’t even flinch.

“The world would be very interested why the Hero Endeavour killed the child of his greatest rival,” Holly replied simply, “We can leave and never speak of this, or there will only be two walking away.”

Endeavour balked at how utterly _unfazed_ a child was. His face twisted into fury, the hall heating up.

Holly turned around the shell shocked and silent Shoto, leading him away. She only glanced back, but he wasn’t following them. He was gnashing his teeth angrily before he stomped away. The pair emerged to a more crowded hallway.

“He’s going to kill me when I get home!” The situation suddenly sunk into her friend’s head as his normally cool demeanor faded.

“No, he shall not.” Holly informed him, “We will protect you.”

“Who? He’s the second best! No one can protect me!”

Holly put an arm around Shoto, “Oh my friend, we will discuss that with my guardian later.”

“But-”

Holly put a claw to his lips, silencing him as they walked into the seats reserved for class 1-A. Shoto quickly put back on his cool demeanor, but on the inside he was screaming. 

“Todoroki, is something wrong?” One of his classmates asked him. Suddenly they all sounded the same.

“Nothing,” He replied gruffly, staring into the stadium, watching as one of the stagehands of the Grimm Troupe turned the entire stadium into beautiful, elegant reds and blacks. The entire place soon turned into a beautiful, bug hosted circus.

“Are you sure?” 

Kaminari, that was him. Todoroki turned and looked at him, nodding.

“I am,” he said, pushing out as much calm as possible. 

“It’s probably nerves, Denki,” Holly chimed in, “We’re going to be facing off after this!”

“I’m excited to see them live,” Shoto admitted, “They only host a show once every ten years. And they want volunteers.”

“Are you going to volunteer?” Kirishima asked, a bit of disbelief in his voice.

Trying to contain the grin, but glad for the distraction, he eagerly said, “ _Yes_.”

“Icy Hot, a theater kid? I didn’t think you were like that,” Bakugo and Midoriya appeared, sitting next to Holly.

“That’s so manly though,” Kirishima said, “Theater folks have so much control over their Quirks, I want to volunteer too! Although I don’t really know it like you probably do Todoroki.”

The lights dimmed as their other classmates filed in, the stage itself being set.

“Ladies, gentlemen, and bugs of all ages, thank you for attending our halftime show,” The ringleader himself, Troupe Master Grimm, appeared in the center of the transformed stage in a burst of flames. His voice was that of someone who had been smoking 5 packs of cigarettes every day for the past 50 years, but its gruffness was charming.

“My name is Troupe Master Grimm,” He bowed to the cheering crowd. 

The crowd oohed and ahhed as his classmates began to whisper amongst themselves.

Stairs appeared where all the students were.

“Now I kindly ask for a volunteer. Raise your hands, and I’ll pick you out. Today we do a ritual. And not just any ritual, ” a thumping, beating, heart like beast that let out a soft, hot pint glow came down from above the stadium, “Today, we do the ritual of the Nightmare King! And what more could we ask for from you folks? This volunteer shall be our chosen one, protector of Nightmares! Any villain they shall strike utter fear into, and they will be awarded with this wonderful Charm, and the needed notches if they must!” Grimm held out a charm, one that looked like a smaller, chubbier version of him.

“Without further ado my lovely audience, students, raise your hands now if you want to help us complete the ritual!”

Spotlights shined on all the classes, and Todoroki’s hand shot up with such eagerness and earnestness. Fuck it, he was going to die when he got home anyways. This would be the only chance in his life to ever even hope to participate in, and he wanted to do it. 

The Troupe Master looked at him, and Todoroki felt like his life was flashing before his eyes. Grimm’s eyes went into slits, but all the spotlights focused on him. His classmates cheered him on, some of them laughing in astonishment.

“Wonderful, Wonderful! It looks like we have a winner here folks! Come, Shoto Todoroki, the Nightmare King has chosen you as its acolyte!”

Todoroki jumped from his seat as The Troupe Master teleported to his side.

“Feel free to use your Quirk against me, and don’t be afraid about hurting me kid,” he whispered softly into Todoroki’s ear, “I’ll stop the ritual if you can’t go on, but the boss says you’re perfect for this role. It’s a bit labor intensive as it goes on, but the flames won’t harm you.They’re for show. Your job is just to keep hitting me, but put on a show about it. You’ll do great.”

Todoroki nodded as Grimm led him down to the stage.

“My kin has come, and the show begins. This searing fire,” They were in the center of the stage, “It carries well the ritual’s promise!”

The Troupe Master snapped his fingers, and Todoroki was standing on opposite sides of the ring. He bowed, and Todoroki bowed back, starting to get excited. 

“Dance with my, my friend. The crowd awaits! Show them you are worthy of the ritual!” Grimm announced as he snapped his fingers again. Todoroki could barely see anything beyond the stage but could tell the crowd had become hushed in anticipation. The music began, a slow, building meldy of organs and pianos. The pair bowed at each other. The show had begun.

Grimm held out his cape, and Todoroki felt ice form on his right side. He was not using the full force deliberately this time, instead going for a more personal, more elegant, dance like slash.

Todoroki jumped through the flaming balls, closing in on Grimm and slashing him with ice. Grimm dodged and teleported to the center of the stage, bloating and shooting out balls of fire as Todoroki jumped to avoid the volly of flames.

“ _I, standing higher, adding fuel to the fire_ ,” Grimm sang as Todoroki dodged, “ _Hear the crowd roar, hear them screaming for more!_ ” 

Grimm teleported away before Todorki could reach him.

“ _Now, take a bow, leave our audience wowed_ ,” the pair bowed down before Todoroki closed the distance and slashed Grimm again with the ice sword on his arm. 

“ _Carry high, our lanturn liiiiight_ ,” Grimm sang, dancing around Todoroki, not attacking. He mimicked Grimm’s movements, and he could tell the Troupe Master was smiling back at him for understanding what he wanted. 

“ _Join in our Nightmare_ ,” Grimm held out his hand, and Todoroki took it. Grimm spun again.

“ _Light my way with your fleeting sparks_ ,” Todoroki sang back to the Troupe Master, putting a hand to his chest as sparks of creativity sparked in his mind, “ _Through our dance, let us honor him!_ ”

Grimm smiled at Todoroki, then disappeared and began his attacks again, this time sending the same flame balls Todoroki , who was hit. It was his turn to stagger back dramatically, the crowd roared its approval.

“ _Even the discarded can dream_ ,” Grimm physically attacked him this time, teleporting above and kicking down dramatically. Todoroki dodged this, and jumped above him as he lunged. “ _See what our ritual can briiiiiiing!_ ”

“ _This discarded one dreams, I invite thee to show me what the ritual brings! Feed the child of a beating heart! Let this beautiful tradition start!_ ” Todoroki had no idea where this came from, except from some depraved depths of his soul.

Grimm’s cape itself attached to the ground and Todoroki stumbled back as pillars of the scarlet cape erupted from the ground. “ _Carry high, our lanturn liiiiiight,_ ” The entire stadium went dark, but the pulsing thing above emitted the light. 

A black flash, and in the darkness Todoroki, along with the audience, read the words written in flame.

**Nightmare King Grim**

The Troupe Master had a costume change in that brief instance, now in a more hot pink costume, “ _Join in our niiiiightmare!_ ”

Todoroki barely had time to dodge after seeing this, as the King slashed at his wilding. He hit him once, and the King jumped high and burst into flames that showered down. He dodged this yet again, looking around for him.

“ _Through the hallowed halls, the ritual of flame, stoking the child that bears my name!_ ” Todoroki quickly dodged now pillars of flame that moved ever faster, hitting Grim again. He staggered dramatically before disappearing again, the music getting faster.

Grim blew into the ball of flames again, and Todoroki had to concentrate more on dodging.

“ _Take to the stage so I can play my part! The Troupe gathered here, showtime we endear! Child beware, don’t fall into terror, I will teach you fear!_ ”

This triggered something in Todoroki. Those words sounded exactly like something his father would say. Tears were now in his eyes as he now dodged and tried to attack.

Grims attacks grew more rapid, now pillars of fire appearing around Todoroki, “ _Here in the hollooooow, you’ve joined the ritual and chosen me to follooooow!_ ”

“ _Burn my father! Feed thy child! Burn my father! Feed thy child! BURN MY FATHER, FEED MY CHILD!_ ” Todoroki sang, loud, rawly, as he attacked the Nightmare King, jumping up in the air to attack him as he hovered above.

He landed a few hits as it no longer seemed to be just a dance. Todoroki was a man possessed. Somehow Grimm’s attacks grew more rapid as the Nightmare King slashed him, the music swelling, but Todoroki landed a few more hits. 

“ _Burn my father, feed thy child!_ ” He chanted, almost hysterically, “ _Burn my father, feed thy child!_ ”

“ _Spotlights are beaming, here, are you dreaming? Audience, screeaaammming. I, standing higher, adding fuel to your fire! Hear our crowd roar, leave them wanting more!_ ”

“ _BURN MY FATHER, FEED MY CHILD! **BURN MY FATHER, FEED MY CHILD**! _” 

“ _Child of fate, through bloodshed and hate, the Grimm Troupe chooses you to elate. Fill their hollow voids with tales you create! Your enemies beware, they fall into terror, you will show them fear!_ ”

Grimm bloated again, and Todoroki closed the distance, striking one last time. The Nightmare King deflated and emitted sparks of flames to show that he had been defeated. The entire room became white, red sparks floating away.

The music concluded and the audience roared at the finale, screaming, chanting.

Todoroki blinked. He didn’t feel exhausted at all from the fight. Far from it, he felt _energized_. But, there was silence. As his eyesight recovered, he looked around. He was in a cozy room with The Troupe Master still in his Nightmare King costume. There was a comfortable looking bed behind him as Grim adjusted his cape in the mirror.

“Sir,” Todoroki bowed respectfully, “Thank you for that opportunity.”

“Shoto Todoroki, thank you for volunteering. You are a worthy caretaker for this charm,” Grimm handed him the charm he had flashed earlier, as well as a notch. “I see you already have one notch. Please, please put this one on and see,” he patted on the bed.

Todoroki sat down and removed the Steady Body Charm he had inherited from his mother, tucking it safely away in his pocket before putting on the new Charm.

A floating grub that looked like a baby Grim appeared next to him.

“This is Grimmchild,” Grim patted the baby affectionately, “They will be your most deadly companion to any foe you face. The more you keep the charm on, the more they shall grow until they are their own bug and can survive on their own.”

Grimmchild floated downwards and began snuggling on Todoroki’s right side.

“You’re giving me… a baby?”

“A very self sufficient baby, Shoto,” Grim said, “They are very hardy and will survive even the most terrible of attacks from your enemies. They cannot be killed. And, it looks like they have already taken interest in the food you can so easily provide.”

“Food…?”

“The only thing we ask is for you to feed them fire. And I’m sure you would easily be able to do that.”

Todoroki lit up his fingers, and Grimmchild immediately began to suckle on them, slurping up his flames easily. Todoroki let out a giggle, the action tickling him a bit.

“Thank you, sir,” Todoroki stood up, bowing, “May I get back?”

“Oh child, you’re already there,” The Nightmare King smiled at him, “We’ve bowed to the audience, and your body has begun to leave the stage, going the long way around. Just snap your fingers, and the Grimmchild will appear and will also take your mind back.”

Todoroki looked at him in surprise, but snapped his fingers.

Again, it was like he blinked. Grimmchild was now beside him as he walked away from the halftime show stage.

 _He’s a lot more powerful than I ever imagined_ , Todoroki thought to himself in amazement, looking at the Grimmchild, _This child will make a useful ally when they are grown._

It didn’t surprise him that he ran into his father again, who had somehow guessed correctly where Todoroki would leave the stage. This time, there was only Grimmchild as his witness.

“What the _hell_ was that?” Endeavour asked angrily.

Todoroki’s face twisted into cold fury, “That, father, was a halftime show.”

“You begged them to burn me! Do you not have any respect for me?”

“It was a show, father.”

"And what’s _that_?” Endeavour pointed to the Grimmchild, who was floating absentmindedly and had begun to make cute noises.

“A summon from a charm from the halftime show. It was their way of thanking me for volunteering.”

Endeavour grabbed the Grimmchild roughly, before beginning to squeeze, trying to kill it. Todoroki jumped, trying to wrestle the now crying grub from his grasp. Endeavour threw Todoroki against the wall as the Grimmchild spat fire that didn’t even faze Endeavour.

Suddenly, a puff of smoke. Endeavour was thrown to the wall and Grimmchild teleported to Todoroki’s side.

“Enji Todoroki, you DARE harm CHILDREN,” The Grimm Troupe Master stood before Endeavour, growling.

“Get out of my way, you fool! My child will not use any of your bug-like trinkets!” Endeavour lunged at Grimm, ready to throw a punch. 

From the floor red-hot spikes trapped Endeavour as Grimm put himself between parent and child.

“Dare mess with a Higher Being such as I, and we'll see who's flames truly shine bright,” He warned, and there was a tone of deadly, nightmarish proportions in his tone, “You’re a fool to think that you can think you can get away with this!” He snapped his fingers, servants of the Troupe appearing.

“Guard him while I call security,” Grimm commanded.

“And you’re an idiot to think you can get away with this, you circus monkey!”

At this comment, Grimm turned. Endeavour’s face went white at something Todoroki could not see.

“An amendment. _You are not a fool. You are the_ **_entire_ ** _colosseum._ ” Grim then snapped his fingers again. Harmless flames surrounded both him and Todoroki as they disappeared.

Todoroki recognized the Recovery Girl’s office. She was at the desk, typing, and had turned to look at the new arrivals.

“Mr. Todoroki, Mr. Grimm, what brings you here? Did you get hurt during the halftime show?”

“Please, sir, don’t do this,” Todoroki ignored her, turning to him, “I don’t need this reputation while I’m trying to become a hero!”

“Oh, never fear with Higher Beings,” Grimm snapped his fingers, “Recovery Girl, we have a clear cut case of child abuse. I will begin the paperwork, as the abuser is now being escorted by my men. Our blessed chosen one will not know fear in the place they live. At our Unholy Intervention, this will not leak into the media.”

A giggling Troupe hand appeared, putting a hand on Todoroki’s forehead.

“Oh my, I didn’t expect that,” Recovery Girl looked at Todoroki with extreme sadness, “We’ll need to check the cameras too.”

“I will get that sorted out with some pro heroes and detectives,” Grimm said, watching his servant carefully, “My servant will give him amnesia of the last 10 minutes. He will think he came here because I wanted you to make sure he was uninjured. When we have to bring the boy in, it will bring it back. But this shall not hinder this youngling’s chances at achieving his dreams, I refuse to let that vile filth ruin it for him. Only for now will we do this.”

“You know, Grimm, you would be an amazing hero if you ever decided to become one.”

Grimm huffed, but was smiling “My place is on the stage, my lady. I am flattered at the compliment, but we only wish to shine on stage. I will begin the paperwork to take in our blessed one and our newest member of the Troupe.”

Recovery Girl nodded as the servant took his hand away. Again, Grimm snapped his fingers, and he was gone.

Todoroki blinked, then put a hand on his head.

“My dearie, is everything all right? The Troupe Master here took you over in case you accidentally injured yourself during halftime,” Recovery Girl asked him, perfectly filling the role she was supposed to.

“Uhm, no ma’am,” Todoroki said, a little confused, “I guess everything is such a blur I forgot how I ended up here. It was a lot of fun.”

“Oh dearie, you were teleported here by Grimm once you walked offstage. Nothing to worry about,” Recovery Girl assured him, “The occasional confusion of his Quirk usage for others is normal. He told me you were coming. And I see you won a nice summon charm.”

Todoroki smiled at the Grimmchild that floated behind him. He lit his fingers on fire and they eagerly began to eat at the flames, making wet, smacking sounds as they did so.

“Yeah, it’s really cool,” Todoroki said, “I won’t be able to use them, but Grimm said he’d be a good ally. If they’re like their father they’ll be an amazing sidekick to have.”

Recovery Girl smiled at him, happy that he wouldn’t be affected but sad that such abuse had gone under the radar for so long.

“Well, don’t let me keep you! Get back to your classmates, the commercial break ends in 6 more minutes!” Recovery Girl said, and Todoroki nodded, and left the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HALFTIME!!  
> THE IMAGE YOU SEE WAS MADE BY MY FRIEND KAYURI PAX: https://www.deviantart.com/kayuripax  
> I'm hoping it doesn't distract from the story, otherwise I might move it to the very top. Tell me if it does guys XD  
> Originally I was going to make a bunch of kids battle Troupe Master Grimm, but then I decided, naaaaaaah, THIS IS BETTER INSTEAD.  
> So I did.  
> Now Shoto has a Grimmchild :3  
> And after the festival will have his life turned upside down owo;;;;;  
> Hopefully though, with the support (and blessing!) of the Troupe, along with his friends, he'll bounce back. I feel for him tho, I got placed in foster care when I was 16. I'm kinda basing my experiences there on him, while there will be confusion and apprehension, he'll be smart enough to realize that he learns better and feels a lot safer there than he ever did at home. And he'll open up more at school and become friendlier, yay! :D  
> Yes, this will have a lot of ripple effects down the line. BUT I HAVE BEEN PLANNING A GRIMM TROUPE TODOROKI FOR SO LONG AND I'M SO HAPPY I CAN NOW MAKE HIM SLOWLY OPEN UP THROUGH HIS PASSIONS: hero work and theater.  
> 10/10 no regrets  
> I was also heavily inspired by The Man on The Internet's song, here's that link: https://youtu.be/5SG79LFSlH0  
> Again, thank you for the comments! I love to hear everyone's thoughts! :D


	19. Relaxing Between the Rounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Grimmchild meets the class, and the trio slightly startle Class 1-A. During Iida's fight, some of Izuku's classmates discover how amusing it is to flirt with him. Fumikage Tokoyami loses his fight, and loses HARD.

Todoroki walked back to Class 1-A, who began to hoot and holler at him in congratulations. There was another commercial break as they re-set the stage, and his class had been given a simple lunch of a ham sandwich and apples with water. Todoroik’s lunch was sitting in his seat for him, and he couldn’t help but let out a smile at them. 

“What did you win there, Todoroki?” Sero asked him, looking at the Grimmchild, who cooed at him, “A summon charm, right? I didn’t get to get a good look at it.”

Todoroki went to his seat, glancing at the Grimmchild, who purred at him, “Yeah, he gave me this. It’s supposed to be a powerful summon if I keep feeding it fire.”

“It’s so cuuuute!” Ashido went up to Grimmchild, eyes wide, “Oh my god it’s like a baby grub!”

“I suppose it kind of is,” Todoroki admitted, taking a bite of his lunch.

“They announced who we’re facing off against,” Kirishima told him, pointing at Ojiro, “You missed Ojiro over there giving his spot up. It was weird. But you’re going against Sero in the first round!”

Todoroki glanced at Sero, who was cooing over the Grimmchild as well.

“D̵o̸ ̶y̸o̶u̸ ̶t̷h̴i̴n̷k̴ ̴h̶e̷ ̴u̶n̸d̸e̴r̸s̸t̸a̷n̸d̵s̷ ̵B̸u̴g̴?̶” Bakugo asked Holly in a horrid yet pleasant voice, looking directly at the Grimmchild.

“M̷a̸y̵b̸e̶” Midoriya’s voice took on that same otherworldly voice, speaking towards the Grimmchild, “I̵t̴ ̸d̸o̷e̷s̵ ̷s̵o̷u̵n̴d̶ ̶a̴ ̶l̴o̵t̷ ̵l̵i̵k̸e̴ ̸H̷i̷g̴h̷ ̵B̶u̸g̵ ̶w̸h̶e̷n̴ ̵i̷t̸ ̸m̴a̵k̵e̷s̴ ̴t̶h̶o̸s̴e̵ ̷n̷o̴i̴s̷e̴s̸.̶ ̸H̵e̸y̵ ̴l̵i̴t̷t̴l̴e̸ ̷g̷u̴y̶,̶ ̸c̶a̵n̸ ̴y̴o̴u̸ ̴s̵p̸e̷a̵k̵?̴”

Hollow said to him, “P̵e̵r̴h̴a̸p̴s̷,̵ ̶K̷a̸c̷c̷h̶a̶n̵.̵ ̴A̶l̷t̵h̸o̵u̷g̵h̷ ̸h̷e̷ ̴m̴a̶y̵ ̶s̵p̸e̷a̶k̵ ̶t̷h̶e̸ ̸n̵o̵r̷m̷a̴l̶ ̷h̴u̴m̶a̴n̷ ̴l̷a̸n̵g̵u̵a̴g̶e̶ ̸a̸s̵ ̷h̷e̷ ̵i̸s̶ ̴b̴e̷i̷n̸g̴ ̸r̶a̶i̵s̸e̵d̶ ̴b̴y̷ ̴o̶n̴e̸.̵ ̴”

The Grimmchild cooed at them, nodding its head in understanding. 

“What are you three even saying?!” Kaminari asked them.

“Yeah, ribbit, it sounds like Bug, but even less understandable,” Asui ribbited at them.

The three looked up, and Bakugo and Midoriya blushed.

“It’s a slight variation of Bug,” Holly explained to them, “Most grubs can understand it inherently, but lose the ability to normal bug as they get older.”

“You’re partially right,” Ashido chimed in, “That sounds a lot like High Bug. My dad used to work for the Pale King and the way he describes how the King talked is sorta like how you talked. Unnerving yet pleasant.”

“Hornet is the daughter of the Pale King,” Holly answered simply, “It would be natural for her to teach me, and me pass it to my friends.”

Their classmates nodded at this, but some of them squinted suspiciously at the trio, never having ever heard of them talk like this. And how easily they slipped into it, as they all looked at the Grimmchild curiously.

“I̸.̵.̷.̸s̸p̶e̷a̴k̷.̸.̸.̵n̷o̵t̶ ̶w̶e̵l̷l̷ ̴y̷e̴t̴.̴.̷.̶s̵o̷o̸n̶,” Grimmchild answered, “F̷i̴r̵e̴,̶ ̸p̵l̴e̷a̴s̷e̷,̶ ̴h̷u̶n̵g̷r̶y̸!̵” The Grimmchild darted for Todoroki’s fingers, sucking on them and cooing at him in what he now knew was this ‘High Bug.’

He lit his fingers, and the class’s attention was once again on him as they fawned over the cuteness of this. Todoroki had to suppress the urge to giggle, because it felt extremely good doing this, and also tickled a tiny bit. But he still smiled wide at his classmates for the first time, which didn’t help how he felt like he was suddenly forgetting something extremely important and absolutely dreadful.

Well, everyone but Ochaco. She looked at Holly with such hate that the bug paused to look at her. She stared back, not knowing the girl well enough to know if this was an intimidation tactic for their match, or if she needed something.

“Is something amiss?” 

She looked back at the bug in surprise, “I’m going to beat you. That battle training doesn’t count.”

Holly gave her a single nod, but the Vessel itself just knew it was going to battle. Not a battle to the death, but like all battles, she would treat it as such. There was no other way she could see it.

“Lunch break over,” one of the teachers walked into the area, “Tenya Iida, you’re up for the first round.”

Iida jumped up, saluting, “I will do my best as the Class 1-A representative!”

Some of his classmates giggled, while others told him to not be so stuck up. 

As soon as Iida left, Izuku began muttering to himself, much to the chagrin of Katsuki.

“Are you going to be muttering the entire time you damn nerd?” 

Izuku looked up.

“Leave him alone,” Tokoyami, who sat behind them both and next to Holly, said, “Let him be a nerd.”

“AH! Fumikage, he’s not bugging me,” Izuku said quickly, “sometimes I just get ahead of myself and-”

Tokoyami’s eyes darkened.

“Oh Fumikage Tokoyami, this is them getting along,” Holly said, leaning against him, “Deku would miss the match itself if he didn’t have someone snap him out of it. It’s happened before when we used to watch it.”

“Why are you leaning on me?” Tokoyami asked.

Holly sat up, as if doing her best to stay upright, “Apologies, I slump over if I sit too long. My body will think it’s time for a long rest, and will slump.”

“You know Holly, you could always sit over next to us,” Katsuki said flirtatiously, “You know I don’t mind when you slump on me, and Deku over here is too much of a cuddle bug to resist it.”

Izuku, cheeks suddenly red at this blatant flirting, looked at his friend with something that said  _ are you actually crazy?! Aren’t you two dating?! _

Holly had already begun to slump to the person next to her, Kyoka Jiro, who didn’t seem to mind at all. In fact, she gave them all a devilish grin and hooked an arm around Holly.

“It’s OK boys, I’ll let my girl rest here on me,” she winked at them, “I got you Holly.”

“Many thanks.”

Izuku almost sunk into his seat, his entire face red. It suddenly felt like a lot of people were flirting with him and his brain couldn’t compute. How did he...return the flirt? Was he even supposed to return the flirt? Was Kacchan flirting with him? But wasn’t he dating Holly? Wad Kyoka flirting with him? He couldn’t think of anything to say. But now she was smiling even wider at him, amused. She blew a kiss at him.

Izuku let out a sound that was a mix between a newborn kitten and a surprised yelp.

Katsuki laughed at her, then noticed his friend and laughed harder. Izuku’s face burned, but he turned to the now beginning match. Saved by the announcement, thank god. 

He was eager to see Iida go up against Hatsume’s inventions, but it was not what anyone expected. Wearing some gadgets Hatsume gave him, the girl turned it into a 10 minute demo, using Iida as her own prop. Izuku moaned sadly, disappointed. 

“Yaoyorozu, since this is going to be just a demo, I found Midoriya’s biggest weakness,” Izuku jumped as he heard Kyoka call behind him.

He whirled around in his seat, eyes wide. Most of the class went back to cooing over Grimmchild, but Momo had looked bored the entire time. Suddenly, it was as if she sprang to life.

“Oh, what is it?” 

“Compliments and flirting.”

Next to him, Katsuki let out another amused laugh.

“Flirting?” Momo got up from her seat and walked over, eyes filled with mischief, “Midoriya, you have a cute personality.”

Izuku let out the most surprised cat like mewl, face completely red again.

“Momo!” He protested.

She and Kyoka laughed at him.

“You know it’s adorable when you address us like bugs,” Momo said. 

Almost playfully, he felt Kachhan wrap an arm around him and pulled him closer, only to noogie him.

“You guys are going to kill this nerd before the match even begins!” Kacchan laughed.

“Ka-kacchan?” Izuku asked in surprise, feeling the redness go down his neck. He squirmed, forgetting for a moment his Quirk could easily get him out of Kacchan’s grasp.

“He doesn’t know how to handle compliments, does he?” Kyoka asked.

“Not many gave him compliments growing up,” Holly answered.

That was an  _ understatement _ .

“Well as long as he’s here he’s getting all the compliments about his achievements!” Momo winked, “Especially if it helps me win, you look almost petrified Midoriya. Is hearing about how you made it so far hardly using your Quirk something you didn’t think we’d recognize? I think it’s amazing.”

Tokoyami spoke up, “Your leadership skills are explimnary, Midoriya.”

Remembering One for All, Izuku’s skin glowed its electric green as red markings sank in, and he easily pulled away, standing up, hands out. He looked like his brain was short-circutting at these compliments.

The rest of his class, now noticing the much more interesting commotion, looked at the small group.

“Uhm” he tried to think of something to say, “Th-thanks?”

“Oh, no more noogieing the nerd?” Kacchan asked him, a shit-eating grin on his face, “They’re right when they say how cute you’re being.”

Izuku shook his head quickly, and it became obvious even his ears were red. 

They all laughed. Izuku put his hands together nervously. He knew they weren’t laughing at him for being a freak or worthless, it was because of his reactions. Holly got up and gave him a pat.

“They mean it in good fun, Deku.”

“I-I know,” he said quietly, “I-I’m not used to it.”

“We don’t mean to make you feel bad,” Kyoka added, “it’s just cute seeing a boy get flustered. You can’t really make anyone else here balk under compliments, and if you’re going to be a hero, we’re going to shove them at you until you learn how to take them.”

“Yeah, you also look like you need it!” Momo said. 

Izuku looked at them and smiled, his face going back to its normal shade. He was shaking somewhat, a bit overwhelmed. 

“Of all the things to get you, it’s a barrage of girls giving you compliments?” Katsuki shook his head, smirking.

“Shut up Kacchan!” 

“He speaks!”

“HEY!” A head popped itself over the wall, and the etirity class of 1-A turned to see a grey-haired boy from 1-B, “You think you’re so better than us you won’t even watch your own classmate’s match?!”

Class 1-A all gave him a silent, if not confused look. Izuku secretly was glad the attention was off of him.

“I’m gonna beat all of you!” The boy declared, before a giant hand appeared behind him, taking him down.

A new head popped up, a red-headed girl.

“Sorry about that, Tetsutetsu is just a bit overexcited about his match with one of you,” she said.

“No worries,” Holly was the first to answer, bowing.

The girl smiled at Holly, but then asked curiously, “Is...is it true what happened?”

“What happened?” Katsuki growled at her, immediately knowing where this was going, “Be more specific.”

Some of Class 1-A threw her a look while Kirishima jumped from his seat and put an arm on Katsuki.

“Let’s not be a bit more specific, man,” he said.

Katsuki gave him a look, but his shoulders slumped. He looked at his hands and let a small portion of his Quirk light up, filling the area with the distinct smell of burnt sugar. There was a faraway look in his eyes.

“Bakugo,” Kirishima said softly, “Why don’t we all sit down again?”

“I’m sorry,” the red head said.

Holly looked up at her, giving her a single nod. Class 1-A was now silent, staring at them intently. But everyone sat back down as Iida’s tournament finally ended and a teacher came to get Mina Ashido and another from Class 1-B.

Mina’s own match was a bit more entertaining to watch, as she easily danced around the boy from 1-B who’s Quirk was to shoot lasers out of his stomach. She easily overpowered him, and her classmates cheered. This was a nice distraction from the question of Class 1-B.

“Fumikage Tokoyami, you’re up next.”

The class cheered encouragement as their crow stood up and followed the teacher away. He smiled back at them, looking only a little excited. 

“I wonder what kind of strategy he’ll use,” Izuku muttered to himself, already beginning a plan, “That Shinso guy didn’t seem to show off any sort of Quirk, but he still won anyways,” as if the idea just occurred to him, he turned to Holly. “Hey, you worked with him. What was his Quirk exactly?”

“Taking over minds,” Holly answered.

Izuku looked horrified, “And you didn’t bother warning him?!”

Holly blinked at him, “No. Was I supposed to? We won’t know a villain’s Quirk until we face them, but they will know ours. I thought it a learning experience.”

Izuku looked at her, suddenly pensive. He began muttering to himself quicker, thinking up of a strategy.

His classmates groaned in slight annoyance. Midoriya was sometimes like a little brother with slightly annoying habits that made you want to both punch and hug him to death.

* * *

Tokoyami walked to the field, realizing a bit too late that he should have asked his two classmates what he would be facing up against. Luckily it would be easy to keep his distance, with Dark Shadow at his side. 

He walked to the field calmly, the flashing lights and cameras not fazing him. He looked forward, to stop himself from getting nervous. There was his opponent.

“The first round begins! Remember, to win you need to knock out the opponent, render them unable to move, get them to step out of bounds or surrender.” Midnight told them, raising her little cheerleader-like pom pom. “Ready contestants?”   
Tokoyami nodded, and his opponent nodded as well.

“GO!”

“Out of curiosity, does your whole family look like that?” His opponent immediately asked him.

Tokoyami couldn’t resist answering, as if the question itself was compelling him. 

“I’d rather not say,” he replied.

It was like suddenly it was a fog. Something had grabbed him mentally, telling him to leave. The next instance, he was walking away from the fight. Tokoyami tried to resist, but he couldn’t. It was like his body was no longer his own. He could hear clearly his classmates calling out to him, telling him to resist. He tried to summon Dark Shadow, but the fog slapped it away. 

It was over before it even began. Tokoyami walked out of the ring, having not even shown what he was capable of. The fog released him, and he turned. His eyes were wide in surprise.

“It’s nothing personal,” his opponent, who had walked up to him while he was in that fog, said, “I just want to be transferred into those precious, open spots. I want to be a hero too.”

Tokoyami nodded in respect, but he felt robbed. He realized that he didn’t even hear Midnight call his opponent the winner. He was robbed of even being called a loser. 

And  Shinso walked away, a small smile on his face. That was so, incredibly, _easy_.

If winning the first round would be this easy, then the path into the hero course was his for sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing too much happens in this chapter. Grimmchild is cute, the mention of bug languages is established (as well as Mina showing a bit of what she knows) and Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu shows up.  
> Izuku's class flirts with him to death, and Katsuki has a bit of PTSD. The first rounds happen, it's pretty similar.   
> I didn't want to drag this on forever, honestly, since I'm not interested in the other fights XD  
> I'll mention the fight with Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu v. Erijo in passing, as it's exactly the same (the later matchups aren't lol XD)  
> BUT  
> Forward, we'll focus on the NEW FIGHTS YEAH. I'm much more excited to write these instead! But Fumikage Tokoyami's fight is like... OOOF MAN  
> OH SO   
> THAT SUCKS  
> Get ready for Holly's fight next chapter XD  
> I can't wait to write his follow up fights lol XD


	20. In Their Own Quirky Ways

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One by one, all are called to the first rounds of their matches. Izuku is nervous, while Katsuki is cocky as always. Shoto shows off, but is unnerved by not the matches, but by his surprisingly absent father. Holly, on the other hand, takes the time to finally achieve true flight, although very awkwardly.

“Well, that was...interesting,” Izuku sighed as Eijiro’s match against Tetsutetsu ended in a draw.

“It was goddamn hilarious!” Katsuki slapped him upside the head, trying to suppress his laughs, “I wonder what kind of tiebreaker they’ll think of.”

No teacher came in to get anyone this time, as Shoto and Hanta had left for waiting rooms, maybe doing some last minute preparations. But there wasn’t much prep to do except wait. 

In his waiting room, Todoroki sat silently, looking at the screens. One of the coordinators called him through the speaker. 

“I have to unequip you,” He said to Grimmchild, taking off the Charm and putting on the Steady Body Charm.

The Grimmchild cooed as it disappeared. Already, Todoroki missed its coos and squeaks.

Walking out, Todoroki half expected to see his father out there, using his status as both parent and hero to talk to him before his first battle. Strange, he wasn’t there at all.

This somewhat disturbed him, a feeling that he was missing something. His father wasn’t one to not tell him to use the fire. Unnerving, almost.

It probably was some sort of new mind game he was playing, Todoroki decided. A stupid one, since it actually made him glad that he didn’t have to talk to his terrifying father.

He walked out to the entrance, a coordinator there beckoning him to stop. Not yet.

After a few moments, he was motioned forward. Sero was already there, waiting for him, grinning. Todoroki noticed he himself looked almost as bored as he felt on camera, and as Midnight called to begin, he froze his opponent in place, trapping him in a small but beautiful wall of ice.

The crowd cheered at his creation. Sero was in a pillar of beautifully carved looking ice, the false vines and flowers being captured quickly on the cameras. All that was out was his face. Midnight declared him the winner.

“Sorry Sero, but we’re playing on different levels,” he said, walking over and beginning to melt the ice. Sero, too cold to answer, only gave a single nod.

After melting him, he turned to walk away. From where he came, he saw her dressed in civilian clothing, although still wearing that signature mask.

“Hornet,” he bowed, “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Little Icy Flame,” she said, and Todoroki was instantly brought back to when she saved him. How could he forget her nickname for him? But that was such a long time ago. 

Again, in his mouth, he tasted the vanilla ice cream she gave him, the feelings of safeness.

Hornet giggled, snapping him out of his brief flashback.

“I wanted to say, you have grown from being such a little Icy Flame,” Hornet continued, “I have no ill will towards you, and hope your career in heroics is of honor. You have come a long way.”

He stared at her, then blinked himself out of it. “Thank you, Hornet.”

“Is something amiss, Shoto Todoroki? Upon seeing me I noticed your entire demeanor changed.”

“I,” he felt so safe with her. How ironic, the spider, being one of the biggest phobias of mankind, giving him such comfort. It reminded him of how Holly somehow brought out similar feelings, despite the feelings of emptiness he first detected from her. Perhaps she picked it up from Hornet.

“I expected my father to be here,” Todoroki confessed, “It’s not like him to be missing.”

“Heroes are sometimes called at the most inopportune times,” Hornet assured him, “You have excellent control over your ice, but, what would happen if you used fire as well? Perhaps that ice will become even more effective.”

His eyes widened, then he looked away. His face twisted in disgust.

Closing the distance, Hornet put a single, unending appendage on Todoroki’s shoulder, “You are not your father, youngling. You are more than where you come from.”

He looked at her, but didn’t say anything. Todoroki gently took away her touch, then walked away. He felt unending sadness and hopelessness. Then, that fiery anger he inherited from that bastard, turning into a cold rage. 

Hornet was not offended by this action. While some would have called this rude and cold, she could recognize the signs of it. That hurt came from deep within his bones. 

Hornet leapt away from the child, letting him simmer on his own.

* * *

“Momo Yaoyorozu and Izuku Midoriya,” the coordinator called.

“Don’t be a little bastard, Deku,” Katsuki called after him. Izuku had a full body flinch as he turned around quickly, but Katsuki was smiling.

“I’m only messing with you, Deku.”

Izuku let out a nervous laugh, following the coordinator away. Momo was clearly as nervous as he was, falling silent, that playfulness from earlier gone. She had one arm on her shoulder, not looking him in the eyes before they were led to different entrances. 

“Alright, go out now,” The coordinator said after a few minutes.

Izuku walked out to the field.

“AND TO OUR LEFT, IZUKU MIDORIYA! SO FAR HE’S MADE A SURPRISE CLIMB OF THE RANKS, AND HAS HARDLY USED HIS QUIRK AT THAT! ” Present Mic’s voice boomed, cameras buzzing to capture his reaction to the crowd, “IZUKU MIDORIYA, AND HIS QUIRK, SUPERPOOWERRRRR!”

If there was any time to say what All Might wanted him to say, it would be now. Izuku opened his mouth, ready to declare it, to say he was here, but it died at his lips. On the monitors, he just looked like a nervous fish. 

There was Momo. She looked nervous too.

To calm his own nerves he bowed at her. The crowd went wild at that, and Momo, surprised, bowed back. 

“READY CONTESTANTS? GO!” Midnight called out.

Izuku took a few deep breaths, shaking out the nerves.

2% was probably possible now, especially all the extra training he’s been doing. If he moved fast enough, Momo wouldn’t be able to create something so big that it would one shot him. 

Another deep breath, One for All sparkling to life, green electricity bouncing off his skin as red brands sank deep into his skin. That giddy joy filled him, and Izuku smiled. It was like every sense exploded by ten. He could hear every individual voice, pick out every scent, his sight even clearer and more precise. He could feel his gym clothes shift under his skin, every fiber against him. He leaped forward, noticing she had already created a shield on her arm. She was making something else, he could tell now by the way her skin shifted subtly, something he’d never noticed without One for All.

Izuku jumped above the sudden, bug-like Nail that appeared in her hands. It looked a lot like Holly’s, he noticed. It was most likely structured like a bug’s Nail, strong and powerful. 

Izuku was behind her now, and pinned her arms to the sides of her waist. This was the least perverted looking way Izuku could think of to safely push her from the ring. She struggled, probably creating something to pop from her back as Izuku easily ran to the edge of the ring, pushing her along. He pushed her over the line.

“Momo Yaoyorozu, you’re out of bounds!” Midnight announced, “Izuku Midoriya, you’re the winner of this round!”

Powering down, senses dulling, he smiled.

“You did a really good job Momo,” He said, holding out a hand.

“Yeah” She breathed, and a spike fell from her back almost comically. The crowd laughed at seeing this, “Thanks for at least letting me show off what I can do.”

They shook, the crowd going wild again.

“You’re a lot faster than I remember Midoriya.”

Izuku blushed, looking away. She laughed.

“I forgot to use the ultimate weapon! Flirtation!”

“PLEASE don’t!” 

“Alright you two, get out of here so the next round can begin!” Midnight commanded them.

Both students looked at her wearily, then left the ring. Momo took the items she made.

“What are you going to do with those?”

“I normally just either trash it or donate it,” She said, “Some agencies with bugs might want the Nail and shield, although I normally let Mr. Aizawa help me with that.” 

“It looks really good,” He said, looking at it.

“Thanks, I studied a lot of weapons to make them as accurately as possible. Bugs tend to have a lot higher quality weapons.”

They started talking about weaponry and the comparisons of bugs to human weapons when they got back to the stands, not even noticing the next to contestants until Katsuki smacked into Izuku accidentally, knocking him to the ground.

“Goddamn nerd, you gotta watch where you’re going!” Katsuki said, helping him up quickly, “I’ll kill you later for that.”

Izuku smiled at his friend, watching him go. Kacchan  _ was  _ changing, if he so readily helped him from the floor. Maybe he was too, Izuku realized. Once upon a time, he'd have cried and apologized. Now... it was like it was no big deal. 

"Good luck!"

"I don't need luck, just skill!" But Izuku noticed the lighter, almost surprised and happy tone in his voice.

* * *

Katsuki walked away from Deku, his own blood pumping. He was eager to show the world what he could do.

“Go easy, won’t you?” Denki Kaminari asked nervously.

Katsuki gave him a look. “No way. You’re dead, electric.”

Denki let out a small squeak of dread.

They were both separated again, going out different entrances. The coordinator stopped him, holding up a hand. Katsuki grunted in impatience, a bit miffed he would be shown second. The coordinator then waved him forward.

“AND YOU ALL HAVE SEEN HIM AS THE OVERCONFIDENT, HYPER VIOLENT AND ARROGANT KATSUUKIIII BAKUGOOOOOO AND HIS FLASHY QUIRK: EXPLOSION!” Present Mic shouted, the crowd going wild. He smirked at the floating drones, then hit a fist on his hand, to show them a preview. 

“Ready contestants?” Midnight called, and Katsuki smirked, nodding. His opponent nodded too, although nervously.

“GO!”

Immediately the idiot went out for a full-on electrical attack. Aiming low, Katsuki used his Quirk to propel him up and away from the ground. Redirecting his hands to a 45 degree angle mid-air he held out his foot as he again used his Quirk to propel his speed back to earth. Denki had already used way too much at once, his face turning into its stupid, dumb state as Katsuki kicked him straight in the face. He landed beside him and stood up as Denki was on the ground, knocked out.

“And the winner: Katsuki Bakugo!” Midnight declared, and Katsuki crouched by his classmate, examining him.

“Maybe I was going easy on you,” he said to the unconscious boy, “But seriously, that was too easy. Try harder next time.”

Katsuki stood up and walked away as medic bots took Denki away. He grinned at the crowd, holding up a fist, before going back to the rest of his class.

* * *

  
  


“Hollow and Ochaco Uraraka,” the teacher called, “You’re both up next.”

“You can do it!” Deku cheered.

“Break a leg,” Kacchan said, walking back in from his battle and sitting next to Izuku again.

She noticed even Shoto smile at her, if only a little, as his Grimmchild was resting on one of his shoulders. Her other classmates cheered for them both as they left.

Holly knew, as they both began walking away, Ochaco was glaring daggers into her back, before they split.

Holly was led to a different entrance, so both students could walk onto the field. The crowd was roaring for another good battle. Holly knew she had to falsify everything, so she put on a show of smiling and waving at the crowd, walking in a way that made some of the crowd call her a queen. She could see both of their images on the screens, the drones floating, capturing her reactions. Holly put on the most common face she saw, one that spoke that she was nervous, but also that she was confident, as the cameras zoomed by. 

Of course she understood what the point was, but she also knew that for her, all was pointless. She thought of this more as a spar so she wouldn't be compelled to kill the girl, like with Kacchan, when she was a weaker bug. That was the only way Holly could frame it so there wouldn't be an accidental killing. So she would have to hold back and only do it until she wouldn't move, not until her heart stopped beating in her chest like with those villains she had faced off against.

Present Mic was announcing something again, but there was nothing he could say that she wouldn’t know. Ochaco only had one Quirk, after all. Zero Gravity.

She positioned herself on the other side of the battlefield.

Ochaco was there, staring at her, determined. Holly bowed at her, ready. People cheered at the sportsmanship so much that Ochaco reluctantly bowed as well, to please them.

Midnight raised her hand, “BEGIN!”

She didn’t take out her Nail. Instead the Vessel let Ochaco run up to her as she touched her own body to be faster.

Holly felt herself become weightless as Ochaco’s Quirk did its work.

Grabbing both the girl’s hands Holly’s wings sprang forth. Being too weak to ever properly use, the weightlessness of both girls now enabled Holly to achieve true flight for the first time in her life. Ochaco’s eyes went wide at the sight of the wings.

The crowd roared, surprised. Holly rose up, gaining altitude. 

“Those are wings?!” some of their classmates shouted, watching as Holly deliberately spread what they could now see were beautiful, shimmering white butterfly-like wings that appeared to be torn into ribbons. Although it was broad daylight, it seemed that they glowed majestically, taking an almost magical quality. Todoroki’s eyes widened in surprise. He had only assumed that when she bounced in the air, that brief flash was her Quirk, not actual wings.

Midoriya was muttering to himself, analyzing the fight.

“She did that on purpose, I wonder how Uraraka is going to get out of this.”

Bakugo slapped him upside the head,  “Just enjoy the damn show, you nerd.”

Midoriya smiled at him. “I didn’t expect her to do that, and use the weightlessness against her.”

“Yeah, using her wings was a really smart move.”

“You two knew this entire time she had wings?” Todoroki asked calmly.

“Well, yeah,” Midoriya answered, “She uses them all the time to stay in the air when there’s something too high for a normal jump. You guys never noticed those are wings?”

It was like the class was staring at him, annoyed.

“She can’t fly?” Todoroki asked.

“No shit Sherlock,” Bakugo answered.

“What happened to her wings?”

The boys looked at each other, then at their friend, who had now gained a decent height from the ground. They didn’t answer. 

_ It must be personal _ , Todoroki concluded, watching Holly closely. Everyone knew she was adopted, it was big news back in the day. And his father always hated that Hornet adopted something and never had kids. He’d go on long rants about it if it was ever brought up. But from where was always a mystery. It might have something to do with why something that would be an essential part of her anatomy she’d keep hidden, hell, even wear a normal, human shirt over it. 

It was a slow rising, especially with Ochaco struggling. Holly threw the girl into the air, watching her tap her fingers together to release her while keeping herself up.

Holly immediately felt the weight of gravity. With one more push of her wings and actually gravity on her side, Holly rose once more above Ochaco. She extended one hand to the girl’s chest and with the other, used the Desolate Dive.

The effect was immediate. Holly propelled both of them downwards, and her opponent desperately tried using her Quirk again, but once weightless their descent was even faster, the laws of friction no longer applying. 

Holly slammed a fist into the ground, the concrete cracking. Ochaco landed besides her, hard, her face one of shock. 

Wings coming out again, weightlessness back on, Holly took out the one thing that weighed her, the Nail. They aimed, but Ochaco rolled, struggling to stand, glaring. Holly floated, wings out, unsure of their plan. Holly awkwardly began forward, using Nail and wings to propel herself forward, and swung. Ochaco rolled again, tapping her fingers together. Holly fell to the floor before barrel rolling back up. Closing the distance Holly hit her straight upside the head.

The crowd cheered, screaming. 

But Ochaco still stood up. She was tougher than Holly was led to believe. Swinging her Nail again her opponent caught it.

If she could be impressed, Holly would have been. The Nail was purposefully slick, and hard to even grab for even other bugs.

Holly swung the Nail anyways, as if she was attacking, walking towards the side of the ring with Ochaco at the end of the Nail, flailing back and forth at the very tips of it.

Ochaco clung on, but the dizziness of the movement didn’t let her see until the crowd's cheers warned her. She let go, the world spinning now. Holly’s aim met its mark, hitting Ochaco on the side. The human finally fell, and became still, her eyes rolling into her head.

“And the winner: Hollow!” Midnight announced, and Holly bowed, even though Ochaco was knocked out. Medics came quickly, as she had hit the girl hard enough to make her bleed. 

Sheathing the Nail, she bowe as Ochaco was taken away, then to the crowd. Midnight announced another commercial break as the next rounds contestants were randomized, and Holly walked back out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MAN this was a fun one to write! I was initially going to have Holly OHKO Ochaco, but then I thought: what if she actually plays the human games? So she does, although she has to keep from killing her. Luckily, she just had to think of it as a spar than a battle. She has to win, after all, although she isn't sure why. Glory isn't much, but then again the Knight participates in the Trail of the Fool, so what do I know lol (although there it's for Geo and stuff, I guess here it would be because Holly *is* trying to get stronger before she takes off lol). Also it's a lot more fun this way, showing off all these cool moves and how they fight if Holly actually gives Ochaco a chance haha XD  
> Shoto is much more of a show off, and all the main characters pass! But you read that XD  
> You may be asking why Hornet is there, well, she is checking up on him again. It's been years, but she just arrested his father, and is gently prodding how good Grimm did for now. So far, the mental blocks seem solid AF :D  
> Well, leave a comment, I love them! :3  
> Thanks for reading!


	21. Settle In for the Show

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next round begins. Todoroki once again flies by without trying, while Katsuki once again gains respect for his teacher. Izuku now grows concerned for Iida as Holly nearly kills her compitition.

“Goddamn Holly, you beat the absolute shit outta her,” Katsuki said as soon as Holly walked back to the stands.

Holly smiled at him, walking back to her original seat. 

“Eijiro is about to start his tie breaker,” Izuku said excitedly, leaning forward to watch the most excited and manliest of arm wrestling.

“Hey Holly,” Kyoka Jiro turned to her seatmate, “I wanted to ask, are those wings part of your Quirk?”

Holly turned to her, “No, they are a part of me.”

“What happened to them? I’ve never seen you use them to fly.”

Holly considered a moment, then said, “They were mutilated.”

Her classmates all gasped at this, looking at her in horror.

“I am fine, but I will never be able to achieve true flight. A bounce in the air is all I can manage, and on their own, the wings themselves are very weak. They are not worth talking about when compared to my Void Quirk and ability to harness Soul.”

“Oh my god, I’m sorry!” Kyoka apologized quickly, regretting hard she’d ever asked.

Holly shrugged at her, then turned back to watch the match.

“Ah, it looks like our classmate lost,” she noted, knowing that there was an air to uncomfortableness around her now and tried to change the subject, “It appears that Class 1-B will have someone to represent them in the next round.”

In the stands next to them, Class 1-B was screaming in pride as the competitors below gave each other a manly hug of manliness. 

“I expected him to win that,” Katsuki said in disappointment, “Looks like I’m kicking that silver guy’s ass next.”

“We haven’t even heard who we’re going up against next,” Izuku said nervously, looking at him.

“I’ll still kick his ass. And your ass. And Holly’s ass.”

“We both know I could beat you, Kacchan.”

Katsuki turned back and looked at her with fire in his eyes, “OH YEAH?! IS THAT A CHALLENGE?”

“Indeed.”

Hitting his fist on his hand to cause a mini explosion, he stood up, “I’m so going to see you in the finals, HOLLOW.”

“Kacchan, calm down,” Izuku put a hand on his shoulder, “Look, they’re announcing it now.”

The screen showed up again, and Katsuki sat back down as the rounds were announced again, now that a winner was declared. 

_Shoto Todoroki vs. Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu_

_Katsuki Bakugo vs. Mina Ashido_

_Izuku Midoriya vs. Tenya Iida_

_Hollow vs. Hitoshi Shinso_

Izuku gave a start, looking back, but Iida wasn’t around. Still, he was nervous as hell. Iida was fast, and if he wasn’t careful, might easily win.

No! He would be able to see him coming if he was fast enough. He’d just have to not panic and not hesitate. 2% didn’t harm him when he went against Momo, so he needed to have faith in himself. Go Plus Ultra, as the school motto said.

Todoroki was already called again, and he fiddled with his Charms quickly, putting back an older Charm of his as Grimmchild disappeared.

“Good luck,” Holly called to him, and he nodded.

“It’s probably going to be another victory for him,” He heard Katsuki mutter to himself, “And he’s not even trying.”

The two contestants walked into the field, the battle a bit longer this time. Instead of being trapped in the ice, Tetsutetsu broke out of it once. Not taking any chances, Todoroki let out another ice wall, this time bigger as it covered half the stadium. 

Class 1-A let out a roar of surprise as even Midnight got caught in the carnage of this heaven-piercing ice wall. Todoroki was declared the winner as he walked over to melt the icy wall he had created.

“Katsuki Bakugo and Mina Ashido,” The coordinator came in again to grab them. 

“Good luck,” Holly once again called, but now to both of them.

“I don’t need luck,” Katsuki said. Mina had a determined, ready look in her eyes.

* * *

This time Katsuki was announced first, although it didn’t have as much fanfare as when he first came into the ring. Mina walked out shortly, looking more confident.

“Just because you’re a fucking girl doesn’t mean I’ll go easy on you,” Katsuki said.

“Hey! Language!” Midnight scolded him, “Do that again and you will be disqualified. Heroes don’t curse.”

Katsuki, getting creative, said “Well fubbernuck you all.”

Mina actually let out a giggle, but she still was ready.

Midnight sighed, “Well, that’s better. Are you both ready?”

They both nodded.

“Alright, GO!”

Katsuki immediately began to fire at her, walking closer to pressure her out of the ring. 

He could tell she was trying to throw acid at him, but his explosions were constantly evaporating it. Bugs don’t like fire, never have, so the closer he got, the more she’s forced away until she’s out of the ring, trying to not light up like a match. He doesn’t hesitate. Chemical burns are a bitch, even more than normal burns. So he kept the pressure high, even as his forearms got sore.

“JUST DIE AND LET ME WIN!” He screamed, his own shout making his explosions bigger.

“Mina Ashido you are out of bounds!” Midnight called, and Katsuki immediately stopped his attacks. 

He rubbed his forearms. He overdid it a little bit, but they’ll be fine. Whatever it takes to win. He smirked at his classmate, although he does notice that the crowd didn’t approve of his methods, and actually began to boo at him.

“Alright,” He heard Mr. Aizawa’s voice for the first time since the races, and it sounded particularly annoyed, “You! Yeah you, the one who began booing! Are you a pro hero? Yes? Then put up your damn cape! He acknowledges her strength by not letting her attack him, and going straight for the offensive. I don’t give a rat’s ass about how she’s just a little girl, or a bug, you all better believe he did what a pro hero did. Villain’s aren’t going to let up on her about those things, in fact, they’d be even more aggressive! Both contestants did good with the matchup, so shut the actual fuck up about my students being ‘too aggressive’ in a match like this.”

Katsuki smiled at his teacher in the podiums next to Present Mic. 

“So he can curse but I can’t?” He asked Midnight a tad bit rudely.

“I’m going to kill him for that,” Midnight groaned, pointing at the exit, “Get out of here you two, and Bakugo, the rules still apply to you about cursing! We’re still trying to be _professional_ here.” She glared in Mr. Aizawa’s direction, but from here it was hard to even tell what his expression was.

His grin only grew, but before he left, he bowed at Mina. She let out a blush, then bowed back. The audience in turn actually seemed to warm up at this, cheering the pair for their sportsmanship.

* * *

“Izuku Midoriya,” The coordinator called, “You are up next.”

Izuku hadn’t even noticed that Iida still wasn’t in the stands when he was snapped out of his analyzing. He probably went into one of the waiting rooms, he thought, as he followed the coordinator out. 

“Break a leg so I can kick your ass, you dumb nerd,” Katsuki said as he walked past him.

Izuku actually let out a nervous laugh, not expecting that.

“ALRIGHT YOU DAMN SURE ARE GOING DOWN NOW!” Katsuki shouted as he and the coordinator turned the corner.

He was going first now, walking out of the stands. Now, he should say it now. But his voice was caught in his throat again, and he couldn’t.

Izuku took deep, concentrating breaths, waiting for his opponent to come. But Iida didn’t come out right away. 

Huh?

Where was he? It wasn’t like Iida to be late, for anything, much less for his own competition. And as much as he would like to win, Izuku didn’t like the idea of winning on a technicality.

After a few minutes, Iida jogged out.

“I apologize for the delays!” He swiftly said, saluting to Midnight.

“Just don’t do that again dear,” Midnight told him. 

Izuku noticed that Iida didn’t seem quite all there. As Midnight declared for them to begin he powered up, but Iida just… stood there. He looked rather dazed.

“Iida, are you OK?” He asked, his Quirk humming beneath his veins.

“Apologies again!” He quickly said, the engines in his legs starting.

Izuku wasn’t exactly convinced, but Iida had charged at him at lightning speeds. Izuku jumped out of the way, and his opponent overshot.

“Tenya Iida, you’re out of bounds!” Midnight called.

Izuku looked at her, confused. No, that didn’t sound right. Iida had much more control over his Quirk than that.

He walked over. 

“Hey, are you sure you’re OK?” He asked again, putting a hand on his shoulder. Izuku noticed that Iida was shaking beneath his fingers.

“I’ll tell you about it later Midoriya.” He replied, and Izuku knew that there was a barely controlled harshness in his voice, “Sorry, that wasn’t much but… I’ll tell you later.” 

Iida ran from the ring, his jet engines leaving smoke behind. Izuku looked after his friend, coughing at the smoke he produced, walking after him. It must’ve been something big if he was going to throw the match like that. 

Izuku sighed. Not much he could do now except walk back to the stands. He was extremely concerned for his friend, and hoped whatever it was, it sorted itself out soon enough.

* * *

“Hollow,” The coordinator called, and Holly got up. Her classmates gave her a half-heated cheer after a rather concerning performance by their representative. Holly bowed at them, and was surprised to find herself going a different path, this time not passing Izuku or Tenya along the way. 

She was led out first this time, the coordinator waving her forward immediately. 

Holly walked out again, this time first, as the crowd cheered at both of them. Hitoshi Shinso walked out shortly after, a smirk on his face.

Midnight feld up her hand and declared them to begin.

“What kind of bug are you, exactly?” He asked her.

Holly took out her Nail, feeling the compulsion. The Shade itself, growing tired of this pesky call, begged her to answer it. Sheathing it again, she decided to end this human’s bothersome call, and to make sure he never summoned them again.

“I am.” She answered him, feeling that hand descend upon her mind.

Holly grabbed the mental hand, pulling it close and staring in its eyes, pulling the caller to herself and taking his own mind.

* * *

When Hitoshi Shinso had first tried to capture Hollow’s mind, he didn’t expect for their voice to be as slippery as it was. It was like trying to grab water with your hands. He had been surprised to find that she was a bug, as bugs were the easiest to mind control. To control someone’s mind, it was like taking the strings of a puppet and using it however you wanted. But not with Hollow, it didn’t work that way at all. It was like she was neither bug nor human, but that could have been due to her Quirk.

Now, trying his hardest again, it was like his hands were getting pulled into the water, sucking the rest of him with it. 

At the end of the ring, he no longer saw a black bug with orange eyes. He saw a terrifying ghost of a person, with bright white eyes and a shredded lower body.

The shadow was not pleased with him

 _A human. And not just a human, **a human child** _, it was as empty and as intimidating as Holly could be, but this was much more terrible than before. He took a step back as it approached. There was no filter to this raw, beating power of pure darkness. It was like staring into what he could only conceptualize as the Void, but only a tiptoe drop of Void.

 _What do you want with us, boy?_ It asked, coming closer still.

 _Go outside of the ring,_ Shinso commanded, despite sudden terror shaking him to the core.

The creature looked at him, and Shinso took another step back, holding up a hand. 

_You talk to God and Void, you call upon a part of Darkness itself, only to help you win a petty game?_ It laughed, glass on rock, sending chills down his spine as he desperately tried to let go of control, to release his Quirk and get back into reality, _You do not know what power we hold, do you? You are no Higher Being, ripping me apart. No, you only wanted to win a simple game. What a silly notion! You called a small potion of us, for a game? Do you know who we are?_

He shook his head rapidly, eyes widening.

_Some call us the Void, the Great Nothing, the Beyond, the God of Gods, the Endlessness after Death and the Abyss. Ah! Little child, you truly did not know what we were, did you?_

It was directly in front of him now, not letting him release Hollow from his power. This close it was like Shinso was looking at nothing, as if he was staring into a black hole, and its bright eyes burned into his skull. His heart pounded in his ears, but he was frozen in place. It dripped with raw power, ancient. He couldn’t tell if it had ill will, or if it would spare him. 

_I’m asking you for an answer, little human._

_I… I thought you were another bug. I-I didn’t know. I’m sorry!_ He wanted it to stop, deep regret for ever trying this, a deep, raw fear of prey being caught by predators. That thing could so casually kill him and not even notice. He would just become a part of it, a part of this massive, beating thing. And Shinso got the feeling that this thing wasn’t even its true form, that he was looking at a small, minuscule fraction of this creature.

 _For the sake of the game, and because we currently have been forced to walk among you, we will only warn you once_ , it touched him, and his vision was going dark. He felt nauseous as this ancient being, older than he could ever conceive, shot its own darkness at him. He stumbled backwards, landing on his back as he stared up at it. He felt as if he was drooling and throwing up at the same time, throwing up this flavorless darkness as inky tears dripped from his eyes. Shinso wanted to scream, but only darkness crawled in. He felt it shuffle through him, matching his frantic heartbeat. Not a bug, and not a human. He wanted to run, he needed to run. This thing, it wasn't a bug nor human.

This was a **monster**.

It was going to kill him, he realized as this blackness kept on coming, absorbing him, consuming him. Again he tried to scream, scream to anyone to stop this, stop whatever this was. He fought back, flailing. He hit it, and it hit back, the darkness oozing slowly again. He was going to die, no, no, he was going to die.

 _I thank you for reminding me how to attack_ , it blinked at him, letting him go, _But shall you call again, we will not be so merciful. Surrender, now, little human child._

To the crowd, all it looked like was that Holly walked to him as Shinso whimpered and shook like a wounded dog. His eyes had begun to be filled with blackness. Holly walked up close, then pushed him to the ground. He blinked after he was pushed, eyes back to normal as he looked at himself, then held up a hand. 

“I surrender,” he squeaked out, “You proved your point!” He was backing away, scrambling to get up, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

Shinso fled from the ring, crying in fright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally, I had some comic relief in the end with Kaminari and Kirishima making some gay jokes towards Bakugo after Holly's fight, but then I decided it didn't fit in at all so I'm leaving that scene at the end for the next chapter XD  
> So what was talking to Shinso was the Shade itself, which is part of Holly, and itself is pure Void. It doesn't normally have a voice (it doesn't have a mouth after all) but mind-to-mind, it can communicate, and it is not amused at what's going on. In fact, it's pretty agitated and wants to fight. Luckily it knows that it's not truly in control, so it'll just scare the absolute shit out of the boy that called it so he never uses his Quirk against them again.  
> Yay for being basically an eldritch being XD
> 
> So yeah, now's the time I focus on longer, more intense fights! WHO WILL WIN? :D  
> While I'm not telling you guys the matchups, I am saying Holly v. Todoroki won't be a thing because he can OHKO her and I want him to have his emotional moment of using his fire ;w;  
> And the only 2 who can possibly give him that emotional moment are these other two idiots haha XD  
> I had to do a coin flip on who's going against who because, let me tell you, Izuku v. Holly in a rematch is fun but Katsuki v. Holly in an ACTUAL fight (and not just sparring) is fun too. And they both have killed her once.  
> I'm excited haha XD


	22. My Memories of Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Todoroki vs. Bakugo. An epic battle, but as they fight, Todoroki cannot help but think about his mother.

Holly walked away, the Shade becoming tamed now that she had released him. The crowd had not been happy. What a boring match, they all called. Holly did not care for the humans’ opinions of it. She had won, fair and square.

Instead of going back to the stands, she decided to go into one of the waiting rooms. She knew her last 3 opponents, so there was no need to watch it live anymore.

The Grimmchild immediately greeted her, and Holly walked in to see Shoto there.

“May I?” She asked politely.

He looked a bit surprised, hand in chin. He nodded at her, looking at the TV with a distant look in his eyes.

“Are you alright?” She asked him, sitting across the table.

Shoto sighed, a single tear going down his cheeks. He wiped it away quickly.

“I will not speak of what’s on your mind. I have not spoken of what happened earlier.”

“Thanks,” he took another deep breath.

“We are friends, Shoto,” Holly said, “You can tell me your troubles.”

He looked at the screen, then at his left hand. He lit it softly, looking at the flames. Grimmchild didn’t immediately dart for them, but just cooed. “F̷̖̅l̴͓͂ả̵̺m̸̺̋e̷̠̅.̵͙̐.̶͐ͅ.̶̘̊.̶̪̏s̶̝͠ö̷̱́ ̵̬̄p̵̺̂r̵͍̈ë̶̝́t̸͎̔t̵̩͌y̷͚̾”

“I don’t want to become like  _ him _ ,” Shoto admitted after a few seconds, “I refuse to be anything like him. And fire is his thing. Everyone always compares me to him.”

“I would say you are more like the Troupe,” Holly said sympathetically, “Fire can be violent and dangerous, but it is also warm and loving. As I have heard many humans say, it is the candle in the window, on a cold winter’s night, that saves the lone wanderer from freezing to death. Just because your father is a wildfire does not mean that you are one. You can be the fire in the heath, that candle in the window.”

He put out the flames and sighed. “I’ve heard Quirks can define your emotions too. I mean, Bakugo… well, his personality is rather explosive. And you’re… well, you don’t have any emotions.”

Holly smiled at him. “You have not met his mother. She gave him that explosive temper, and growing up, his violence has gotten him out of many scraps.”

“It’s...not his Quirk?”

“Oh, no! I would say under all that screaming, he is actually quite soft. He just doesn’t know how to express himself that doesn’t involve making his hands explode or cursing a storm. He is getting better at it, but I would not be surprised if he screamed more about death in his next match.”

Shoto looked at his left hand again, pensive.

Holly reached out and grabbed his right hand, “Your awareness of not becoming him has already set you upon a different path, Shoto Todoroki. You are not your father. You are you, with dazzling ice and welcoming fire. You are you, with your love of theater and music. Does that sound like him? No, I would say it sounds like a bright, hopeful soul with a heroic heart.”

He let out a small smile. 

The door slammed open, and the pair unflinchingly turned to the person who slammed it open.

“I had a feeling you’d be in here,” Katsuki walked in, then next to Shoto. He slammed his hand on the table, causing it to explode. Shoto didn’t flinch, he just looked up at him, a bit confused.

“Look, I know you have a bunch of family problems,” Katsuki said, “But that doesn’t matter. I want you to use both sides on me! Don’t hold back like you did with those other assholes! Whatever that asshole did to you to make you not want to use your flames, use them! It’s just me and you in the match, nothing else matters! You’re not the best if you don’t do your fucking best. And I want to show the world I can beat you at your best.”

Shoto looked at Holly, his face reading betrayal.

“Oh, she didn’t tell me shit,” Katsuki let out a laugh, “It’s kind of obvious that your dad’s an abusive asshole. Whatever strings he’s pulling, he’s no hero to me.”

He turned to leave, but then glanced at Holly, a mad look in his eyes, “I’ll see you in the finale. After we kick some more ass.”

He slammed the door behind him, leaving them alone again.

“He’s such a jerk,” Shoto sighed, looking at Holly, but his smile had grown, “I think he’s growing on me.”

Holly mimicked a giggle, and both watched the commercials that were now on in silence.

* * *

“Shoto Todoroki,” The coordinator walked in, clipboard in hand, “You’re up once again.”

He quickly switched out his charms again.

“I’ll see you later Grimmchild,” He said as the Grimmchild disappeared.

“I believe in you,” Holly told him. Todoroki nodded, and followed the coordinator out.

His conversation with Holly was still in his mind. He’d never really thought about himself that way. All he could see was similarities between himself and his father. That angry demeanor, his left side, the loneliness. 

Growing up, it was just him, his mother and his father. His other siblings, he had quickly learned after his Quirk developed, had long ago died. The training he was put through always made him puke at the end of the day from exhaustion, made him weak. In the long run his body became toned and battle-ready, but...the cost. His mother always tried to stop it, and was always crying. He couldn’t remember a day that she wasn’t.

Bakugo was on the other side of the ring, fists out and ready. He’d just have to freeze him fast, no show or performance. Just attack.

“GO!”

He let out a huge, unyielding wall of ice. He could hear it cracking easily, as Bakugo still stood there.

“Is that all you got?” He asked, “Your aim sucked! Actually try!”

He let out another wall, surprised at how easily he got out of there. Bakugo jumped into the air, hands exploding as he screamed. Todoroki jumped out of the way, using his is to propel himself forward.

“You don’t deserve to be the best if you don’t actually do your best!” He screamed at him, “Use your fire AND ice! Do your best!”

The way he said those words reminded him of a memory. 

He was on the couch next to his mother, watching a show on the TV. It was a rare time for them to spend, as his father had left for a mission. They were watching a program on TV, about All Might.

“Remember kids, just because you inherited your Quirk from your parents, doesn’t mean you are them! Turn it into your own and be your own hero!” All Might had said.

“Do you want to be a hero?” His mother asked, holding him close.

Shoto looked at her, eyes wide. He nodded eagerly, smiling. 

“I want to be a hero that inspires, like him!” He pointed to the TV.

His mother laughed, ruffling his hair. “Well, your fire and ice will certainly inspire! Do your best, and you could be number one.”

“I don’t want to be like dad,” He said.

“You’re not your dad baby,” his mom kissed him on the forehead, “You’re you. And I love you.”

Back in the ring, Todoroki’s breathing got heavy, his eyes wide. His left side lit up, the memory all he could see. The memory of that day, in front of the TV, in his mother’s arms, it all seemed as if it was all happening at once now, with everything else today. The Grimm Troupe, and how the fire caressed his left side, a welcoming warmth. Hornet, someone who was his father’s mortal enemy, telling him he was nothing like him, and to use  _ his  _ flames. Holly, his first friend, telling him he was the welcome sight to the lost. It all fell on him at once, making his flames burn so brightly and so warmly that the air popped at the rapidly changing pressure between fire and ice. He could feel his clothes beginning to burn off as Bakugo smirked.

“That’s what I’m TALKING about!” He shouted. 

Todoroki expected using his flames like this to hurt. But it didn’t. It was like finally stretching a stiff muscle. He didn’t realize how much his body wanted him to use both sides. The flames were a beautiful scarlet, like the Grimm Troupe’s fire, mixed in with the natural orange of regular flames.

He pointed his fiery side at Bakguo, letting out a beautiful, elegant burst of fire from his arm. Bakugo ducked, but his hair was singed. 

Putting his hands together, using fire and ice, he shot out a rapid jet of lukewarm water. Bakugo jumped over it, and was behind him now. Todoroki turned.

He was reminded of his mother once again. 

They trained too, but it was so much more gentle, so much more caring. 

“Like this, son,” She gently held out her hand, forming an ice rose from it, “Imagine what you want, let your heart call for beauty. Ice is a delicate but beautiful weapon.”   
Todoroki tried to mimic the rose, but it came out much more crooked. 

“It’s alright baby,” She laughed, “That’s much better than how I did it. You’re doing good.”

He smiled, melting it quickly with his fire side. He tried a daisy instead.

“Oh, how beautiful!” His mother exclaimed.

“That’s not teaching him how to fight,” His father walked in, face ablaze.

“Teaching him control is the first step in learning to use the ice,  _ dear _ ,” his mother sneered at him, “Or he’ll kill himself like all the others if we do it your way.”

His father punched her to the floor, and they began screaming at each other. Todoroki had run from the room, frightened. 

_Control_ , he thought, as swung a sword made of ice. Bakugo let out an explosion, throwing him back, destroying his blade. Todoroki threw a wall of ice, catching himself.

Bakugo launched himself forward, screaming nonsense.

In his head, Todoroki later ran back into the training room, after their fight had ended. His mom was crying, but she was making ice sculptures of people and bugs. She was weeping.

“At last, honey I’m home, say hello,” she sang, crying to herself.

“M-mom?” He asked hesitantly. 

“Oh, baby,” She was still crying, “Sorry, I’m just…”

“How are you doing that?” 

“Oh, it’s a more complicated form of what we were practicing earlier,” She wiped her eyes and smiled. Her face was beginning to swell with bruises, “Your gandpapa would use them to trick foes before he retired.” She made an icy circle, thin enough to see through. The statues looked frighteningly real from the inside of the circle, and he blasted fire at them.

“With your fire, it might be more dramatic,” She sniffed, “A good trick. A bug gave us the idea. A good bug. Not a hero, someone who I was close to.”

Trying the idea now, Todoroki sent out flames ablaze, surrounding Bakugo. With the ice he created several sculptures in his own likeness. Bakugo looked around in confusion, not being able to pick out which one was real, as the fire moved them around, spinning. He started to attack all of them with his Quick while Todoroki launched himself in the air, aiming for a kick.

As if suddenly realizing the trick, Bakugo looked up, and was kicked in the face. The fire dying, Todoroki pinned down his hands and froze them. He held another blade of ice to his neck, and his fiery hot hand on his neck as he froze Bakugo’s entire body to the ground. He tried to use his Quirk, but in the ice his hands were too cold to let out sweat.

Bakugo smirked at him, although he was struggling a little still.

“You fight like a goddamn bug,” He said.

Todoroki’s eyes widened. “What?”

“Take that as a compliment from someone who was stupidly fighting you like a human,” He replied, a hint of respect under all the snark, “You were fighting like a human, but then you started fighting like a bug. That’s some good shit dude.”

“Can you move?” Midnight asked Bakugo.

He struggled some more, but Todoroki had him firm.

“I guess not,” He admitted, “Well, now that I know how you  _ really  _ fight, you’re not going to trick me again.”

Midnight declared Todoroki the winner as he began to melt Bakugo from his ice. He helped him stand up, and Bakugo gave him this strange smile.

“You’re not going to trick her that easy,” he said, shaking from the cold, even as Todoroki kept melting the ice. “She can kick near anyone’s ass.”

“Katsuki Bakugo!” Midnight said sharply, “Language! Ah, get out of here you two! We have to reset the stage now! Off to Recovery Girl’s office, now, both of you, or I’ll have the bots cart you there after I knock you both out!”

They both let out a disgruntled sound, walking off the stage and towards Recovery Girl’s office.

Todoroki remembered the entire day now. The last good day with his mom.

He touched the scar on his face. He knew she didn’t hate him. She was beginning to lose her mind from all of that abuse. It was a wonder he didn’t take the same out the rest of his unknown siblings had, and kill himself with his own Quirk. Although, from the way she talked about it, they didn’t commit suicide… 

“I can’t take it anymore!” she was crying, and Todoroki peered in the kitchen. She was crying so much harder this time as she made dinner, “Please, take us both! I don’t care what they’ll say, what they’ll think! I’m going to lose my mind if I stay here! If not me, take him!”

“Mom?” He hesitantly walked in. 

In a fit of screaming, unknown insanity, she grabbed the pot of water and poured it onto his face. 

He flinched at the memory, still feeling that scorching hot water on his face. His father heard his screeches, and while he always made sure to scramble away, this time, he saw his father beat his mom. And it was the worst thing he’d seen.

He was taken to the hospital, but he hadn’t seen his mother since then. The training without her got so much worse, and as a defiance he loathed using fire, no matter when or why. His father was always subtle about how the abuse was caused, much more than her.

“You’re not crying because you won, are you?” Bakugo snapped him out of the memory, asking him in a tone that wasn’t its normal harshness towards Midoriya.

He didn’t answer, instead looking away so as to ensure he couldn’t see his face. For the first time in years, he wanted to see his mom.

Thankfully, Bakugo took the hint and left him alone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ANGST FOR TODOROKI  
> So yes, in this fanfiction, all of his siblings died, the ruled cause of death accidentally killing themselves with their Quirk, or suicide. How many he had doesn't matter, what matters is that Shoto knows they're dead, and that his dad probably killed them. Like how he thinks he's going to die today.   
> I had to coin flip between him going against Katsuki or Izuku. Katsuki won, obviously XD  
> I love inner turmoil matching outer turmoil of action. Super juicy. Also the fact that he picked up making ice sculptures from his mom: JUICY.  
> You can tell I'm really proud of this lol. It was fun to write as well XD


	23. Fighting the Ghost and Awakening Dreamers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku faces off against Holly again. While he's gotten better, so has she. It's a rough fight that leaves him shaking all over, especially with how it ends.

There was another comercial break as they reset the stage from the last fight, and Izuku got up to look for Iida. He was getting worried about him, especially since he never returned. His match would be in a few minutes, against Holly, but he wanted to check in on Iida first.

It took a few minutes, but he was an expert at weaving through crowds. Years of avoiding and being small made it second nature to dance through the moving crowd of people going on bathroom breaks and vendors, even though it wouldn’t have been as big if it wasn’t just strictly UA students.

He found Iida in the locker room where they all began, alternating between pacing frantically and changing back into his normal, civilian clothes.

“Iida,” He walked in, looking around, and closed the door behind him, “Are you OK?”

Iida looked up, startled.

“Isn’t your match in 5 minutes or something?” He asked, now packing his bag.

Izuku speed walked toward him, “I wanted to check in on you. You seemed so...off. It’s not like you. As a hero in training, I have to make sure my teammates are well too.”

Iida’s eyes went soft and glassy, “I just got a call about my brother before our match from my mother. It’s… well you know he’s a pro hero.” He looked away, wiping his eyes, “Have you heard of that Hero Killer Stain in the news lately?”

Izuku gasped, “Iida! I’m so-”

“He’s not dead yet,” He nearly yelled, making Izuku flinch, “Apologies. I did not mean to lose my temper. It’s just… if he lives, he’ll never be able to use his legs again.”

Izuku put a hand on his friend’s shoulder, “I’m here for you.”  
Iida gave a single nod, taking off his glasses and wiping them on his shirt. “My mother is going to pick me up soon. I won’t be able to see your match live, unfortunately.”

“Hey, it’s OK. It’s a family emergency after all.”

Iida let out a pained smile. “You’re a good man, Midoriya.”

Izuku smiled, “You’re not so bad yourself, Tenya Iida.”

Iida let out a laugh, awkward and painful as always, but Izuku was glad to somehow make him laugh. “I heard what Yaoyorozu said earlier in the stands. She was right, your bug-like ways are cute.”

“Not you too,” Izuku muttered, blushing.

“Well, I thank you for at least trying to respect me like a human, even if you do slip up on occasion. Now, do your best out there. You’re representing us humans, after all.”  
Izuku let out a small laugh, as Iida’s phone buzzed. He took it out.

“It’s mother. I’ve got to go.” He picked up his bag and began to leave.

“I’ll see you later then?”

Iida paused, but didn’t look at him. Izuku saw he was trembling.

“I’ll see you later.”

Izuku weaved back through easily, almost running into the coordinators.

“There you are,” the coordinator nodded at him, “Come along, it’s time for your match.”

Izuku followed them back, down what now felt like familiar halls with how many times he’d gone through here for his previous matches. 

He’d be lying to say he wasn’t nervous. Holly had already gotten the better of him once, but that was because she scared him half to death. He’d gotten powerful, but by her battles, she had too. At least smarter. He’d have to look out for that dive of hers. From Ochaco’s match, he could tell she could crack the very ground with it, and he remembered how it rumbled, leaving a small shockwave. That could blow him back if he wasn’t prepared.

The coordinator stopped him from moving forward, snapping him out of his thoughts. This gave Izuku a good opportunity to take more deep breaths. 

He remembered how she’d beat up those bullies for him, beat them until they screamed mercy, and she would go on anyways. A good way to stop them from ever physically hurting him again, from ever daring. Izuku knew she would be the same, that she may beat him until he screamed for mercy.

No, he could do it! This was just a battle. And they were friends.

Izuku walked up, convincing himself that Holly wouldn’t go that far with him.

On his side of the ring, Izuku took more deep breaths. He could feel All Might staring at him, willing him. This could be his last match, he should say it. Declare himself the new All Might.

But Holly was right on the other side, dropping her humanity. In direct sight of it, he had forgotten how terrifying she could really be. 

_Ghost_.

That’s what Hornet always called her, and he realized why. It really was like staring at a ghost of a person, a corpse. But at the same time, he couldn’t help but find her extraordinarily cute. Within her he could still see the girl he grew up with, his best friend. Sure, she looked terrifying, but knowing how she could be, it almost nullified its effect on him.

“GO!” Midnight called out.

Holly took out her Nail, challenging him, and Izuku responded by letting One for All power up. Not going for her right away, he hestiently walked towards her, seeing what she would do. She didn’t move, just stared at him. 

If he got any closer, she could get him with that Vengeful Spirit attack of hers. Rushing her, and he’d end up being hit out of the air like a baseball.

An impasse as the pair stared at each other, seizing the other up. The sounds of the impatient crowd faded away. It was just the two of them.

Holly apparently thought of something first, jumping up. 

Izuku had to jump up in the air, thinking she was going to do a dive and drive him back. But that was a fake as she dashed in mid-air and used her wings to close the distance, landing a direct hit on him. Izuku was thrown back, but he landed on his feet before moving to the side. The Nail landed where he was a second before, hitting the concrete with a _clang!_ He dodged her swings, dancing around nimbly.

He could tell she was holding back again, being a lot more careful than in their villains versus heroes simulation. She probably didn’t want to get killed again.

Izuku’s skin crawled at the thought of possibly killing her. Although it wasn’t a real death, and it had been weeks, it still freaked him out to think she could die and come back.

Holly struck him again, hitting his side. Izuku let out a squeak and lunged at her, landing a hit. But she used her own temporary invulnerability to hit him twice more, strikes so much faster now. He tried to grab the Nail to take it away from her, but she moved too fast for him.

She jumped, and Izuku rolled away, dancing backwards.

What he didn’t expect to see was darkness itself coming towards him. He was hit straight in the chest.

For a moment, his vision went dark, eyes blackening as the darkness absorbed into him. He quickly shook it off, blinking in time to barely dodge another incoming attack.

 _What was that? That wasn’t the Vengeful Spirit attack!_ He thought, but dismissed it quickly. _Later_! He needed to focus on the match.

He punched her side, blowing her back. Holly used her wings to stop her from going further, and Izuku ran towards her, the invulnerability becoming null as he punched the Nail itself. Izuku hissed, using his other fist to punch her again, straight in her hand, forcing her to drop the Nail. Snatching it up Izuku threw it out of the ring.

No more Nail. It was basically over. Or so he thought, as he saw her swing the Dream Nail at him, dreamcatchers clouding his vision as Holly ran back, healing all the damage he had done. 

Izuku ran, intending to punch her again when Holly jumped and landed on his back, clinging to him. Izuku’s center of gravity was thrown off-center as he teetered, but quickly tried to punch her off. She grabbed one of his fists, claws raking his forearms, leaving deep bloody marks in his skin. 

Izuku let out a scream, grabbing her raking hand and spinning. He forced her off his back, then, using his motion, threw her out of the ring and straight into the statues of the looking Dreamers that had been behind Midnight. 

Holly hit the statues, back cracking as the Seal of Protection stopped her from destroying the statues themselves. Her eyes went from orange to white as the Seal flashed, suspending her in mid-air for a moment before dropping her to the ground.

Izuku’s eyes widened. He could see it.

The Dreamers appeared, ghostly, transparent, floating as they watched Holly fall to the ground.

_How long has passed?_

_How long have we slept?_

_It matters not. Our Seals remain. This shadow seeks to defy us... It must be cast away._ The Watcher said.

 _Go no further, little ghost_ , said the Beast. 

_Open your minds, brother and sister. Our vow was to protect...but do we? The Vessel weakens_. The Teacher said.

 _It matters not. Our Seals remain. This shadow seeks to defy us... It must be cast away._ The Watcher replied. 

_We sealed that plague, and thought we'd found an answer, but we were wrong. Our sacrifices... what did they win us? A world sealed in stasis._ The Teacher said.

 _Do you truly wish to break it...? Do you have the strength, or the will...?_ Asked the Beast, hushed as the others bickered.

 _It would break the Seals. They cannot be undone!_ Said the Watcher.

_Only one path I see. The Seals must break. Will it bring destruction? Of course. It will bring change, too. Let it. To live forever in an unchanging world... Death, I would fear less._

_They must be undone. An empty vessel to bring hope. A strong vessel to bring stagnation. An enlightened vessel to bring an end_ , The Beast agreed with the Teacher. 

The Watcher, as if truly seeing the state of the world, looked down at Holly’s body as it lay on the ground.

 _Now, I remember our bond... our sacrifice. For the kingdom's sake... for the one we must protect._ The Watcher solemnly said, _As you say... we made a promise. Let it be done._

They vanished. Izuku quickly ran to his friend, frightened at what he’d just done. At what he’d revealed to the world. The world came back into focus as he ran by her side.

“Holly, Holly are you OK?” He asked frantically, never having ever seen her _pass out_. She didn’t sleep, she had never slept, much less get knocked out. What has he done? Izuku tried to hold down the screaming panic in his chest.

She sat up, looking up at the statues, blinking. The panic settled down, tears of relief in his eyes.

“I am fine,” she replied slowly, looking at him now, “Give me your forearm.”

Izuku blinked, then looked at himself. He didn’t realize Holly had shredded it into neatly cut ribbons.

“Are you sure?” He asked shyly, hesitantly holding it out, "What about healing yourself first?"

She nodded and began to lick it, and Izuku leaned back, seeing drones capture what she was doing. He realized she was showing off her powers again when she kissed the wounds.

It was like dopamine was being pumped straight into his body. Izuku shook and covered his mouth, trying to hold back the moans. His face was already going red as he shook, watching her continuously kiss the scratches until they all sealed themselves up, only leaving the dried out blood.

“As much as I like the show,” Midnight walked towards the pair as Holly finished her work, “You both need to go to Recovery Girl’s. Hollow, stop healing him and let a medical professional finish the work.”

Izuku let out a sound of protest, still covering his mouth. His forearm was beating in the aftershocks of pleasure, making him weak. His breathing was hitched as they helped each other up. It would fade away in a few minutes, but Izuku focused on it, letting the remains wash over him. He clung onto Holly, now smiling. 

“You need to sit in the stretcher,” she pushed him back. He didn’t know a stretcher had even come, and that’s where he sat.

“But-but-”

Midnight rolled her eyes, opening her costume a little. A pink mist surrounded him, making him sleepy. 

“That’s enough now. We need you in top shape before the final,” Midnight said, then nodded to Holly, “Don’t make me do the same to you.”

Holly bowed at her, then followed the stretcher silently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cut dialog from the game OOooOOOoOoo  
> This is actually some dialog that helped inspire me in the story!  
> So hitting the statues actually woke up the Dreamers, if only for a moment for them to appear. You'll see what happens about that next chapter, but Holly seems more concerned with how she hurt Izuku than what everyone else thinks.  
> I would say SPOILERS because I want to reveal it now but I've already slightly hinted at it in the end with Midnight's casual reaction, reacting more to Holly healing than to what just happened XD
> 
> Ah, this fight was just as fun to write as the last one! With all these tech issues at work and all this flowing inspiration, I'm getting these out rather quickly haha XD   
> If you're wondering about the Vengeful Spirit becoming Shade Soul, thank Shinso for "reminding us how to attack"  
> Yep, that was my roundabout way of upgrading Holly's attack. At least 1. I won't be going through him for the other upgraded attacks because Holly WILL kill him if he tries to mind control him again. And it's not like he wants to anyway. Too scary ene


	24. Not Our Predecessors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Might and Hornet wonder about the Vessel, and question it thoroughly about its intents after seeing the Dreamers. Meanwhile, Todoroki can't stop thinking about his left side, his fire side. In the end, he figures to damn it all to hell.

All Might stood up quickly, eyes wide at the appearance of Dreamers.

“She’s fine,” Thirteen said, “A bit too rough on Hollow, but you know this happens every year.”

All Might looked at his colleague, then back at his heir. They couldn’t see it either, could they? The Dreamers appeared and talked over her body. Obviously Izuku could too, his face horrified. When she finally fell, the spell seemed to be broken, the match ending. They would be sent to Recovery Girl’s, and that’s where he’d go. Still in his thin, lanky form, saving his power for when he made a speech to the winners, he quickly excused himself.

A familiar spider’s web appeared, and Hornet flew by, only to stop and walk with All Might. 

“You saw them too then.”

“Is she going to leave now? We still need to get rid of the League.”

Hornet didn’t answer. All Might assumed she didn’t know either.

They both walked into the room, where Izuku was laughing, sounding as if he was high. He could hear Recovery Girl scolding the Vessel as they walked in.

“You could kill a person if you do that again! The body uses stamina to heal, not Soul! Those are two very different things!”

“I use Soul to heal myself and others,” Holly replied, “I must lay upon my own fluids on them before the Soul I have gained can work.”

“You’re a foolish girl if you think you’re actually using Soul! Now I admit that your spit has a hydrogen peroxide-like disinfectant when you’re using it, but outright healing him like that was dangerous!”

“I’m fine Recovery Girl, really,” Izuku said, looking embarrassed, “It’s like… there’s a good pressure building when she does it, and it climaxes when it’s all done. I don’t feel tired like when you heal me.”

“Good heavens, you might as well had sex in front of the entire stadium from the sounds of it!”

Izuku squeaked, his face immediately going red, and Hornet cleared her throat.

“You!” Recovery Girl said, “Did you not teach this child how they shouldn’t heal others and the dangers of the untrained?”

Hornet looked unamused, “Recovery Girl-”

“Don’t you use that tone on me! I’d have trained this lady years ago if-”

“It was on her application that she could heal herself and others,” All Might interrupted, “And she has to use Soul. She’s not lying, you know Hornet can do the same thing. It works exactly the same.”

Recovery Girl fell silent, staring at them both.

“Well, you two have certainly left out many things about her origins when you decided to get her, didn’t you?”

Hornet put a hand on her mask, exasperated, “Recovery Girl-”

“I know, I know,” She said, “I just wish sometimes there wasn’t this Higher Being looming over threatening our minds these days. Take her, I need to make sure he’s going to be OK before his match.”

Holly walked over, but All Might wanted to check in on Izuku first. He gave him a thumbs up and smiled.

“You OK?”

He nodded eagerly, “I didn’t think I’d make it this far.”

“Well, this is the perfect chance to announce yourself.”

He noticed the boy look away, face blushing. 

“I kept trying, I really did. The words kept catching themselves in my throat.”

“Oh so that’s why you looked like a fish!”

“All Might!”

All Might let out a wheezed laugh, trying to not cough up blood. “Keep it up, you’re doing great.”

Izuku beamed, then looked at Holly and Hornet. “Am I in trouble for what happened in the statues? I didn’t kno-”

“It doesn’t seem like anyone else saw what we saw,” All Might quickly silenced him, “Keep that on the down low for now. We’ll fill you in later, OK? Just focus on the match. You’ll do great.”

Izuku nodded at him, and All Might became fully muscled and flexed, “You’ll do great things Midoriya!”

He walked away from his heir, to the two bugs who waited. Like its predecessor, the Vessel didn’t ask questions. It just walked by them silently, until they came back into Hornet’s private room.

“Little Ghost, did you see them too?” Hornet asked once the door was closed.

She nodded, and All Might pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re not leaving now, are you?”

“Like my sibling before me, to take the Bearer of One for All before I depart would be the best plan for success. But he is weak. I await for him to be stronger, and,” Holly took out half of the King’s Charm, “I would wish to complete this Charm. Learn more of the hidden history that was lost. To know thy enemy is half a battle won.”

All Might sighed his relief, and Hornet nodded, “It will take some time. But Ghost, why have you not visited your mother yet?”

Holly looked at the half Charm, and her Shade reacted within, orbs spiraling upwards.

“There is some part of my empty darkness that says to not complete it yet. It sings to wait until the League’s leader is killed before I am to have two halves of this whole.”

“You can see the future then, like the King?” All Might asked carefully.

Holly turned the Charm in her hand, the habit of acting human ingrained within, “Not like the King, if it is like he described. Like a storyboard, with no set ending. Complete it, and when they come, I shall surely die my true death. But wait, and learn first, and they will never detect me. Then I may seek my history. And how I came to crawl out of that sealed hole in the fields, the one I have read only the King himself could open and close, one that you cannot even smash open, All Might.”

All Might’s eyes widened. He knew what she was talking about. What made the school the best was not because it used to be the White Palace, but because that sealed hole could develop the Quirks of the young better and stronger than any other place in the world. Few knew about it, but had a general sense of it. It was on school grounds, far away from all of the buildings in the middle of the false forest, but the closer you got to it, the more you wanted to turn and run. Not even he could approach it without becoming a little fearful, but anyone he brought with him, even Endeavour, turned tail. 

“You had me scared for a moment, Hollow. After seeing the Dreamers I was certain you’d go, they basically gave you their blessing.”

She smiled at him, “If I am going to end up being like the Hollow Knight, I will do it right. Otherwise, it would be a waste of a quest.”

“You may return to your class,” Hornet said, “Thank you, little Ghost.”

The Vessel bowed at them and left.

“All I do know for sure, Hornet, is that Vessel is much more empty than the Hollow Knight ever was,” All Might said, watching the door.

“Ay,” Hornet agreed.

* * *

Todoroki was in the waiting room, and he had his head on the table. He hadn’t bothered to get a new shirt, although it could be debated if it was laziness or practicality. Grimmchild was next to him, snuggling him as he tried to suppress his tears of confusion.

He used the flames. Did that make him like his father?

The left side of him ached, but it ached good. Quirks demanded they be used, and he found that he had liked it, and it disgusted him at the same time. Todoroki had feelings of confusion through him, his head whirling.

His flames were nothing like his father’s, not intimidating, but beautiful. The battle replayed in his mind, scarlet and orange. He knew if he wanted to he could turn them blue, the hottest part of the flame, but he’d never seen scarlet like that. But he’d never really used them apart from melting out people, and today, when he fed the Grimmchild.

“My scarlet,” The Grimmchild cooed, "That scarlet, part me."

Todoroki looked up at the Grimmchild.

“I can...understand you?” He asked.

“More eat, more understand,” The Grimmchild replied in a broken, accented voice, “More grow, more accept the bless. More accept, become like of the Higher. But not Higher.”

“The bless? The higher?” Todoroki wiped his eyes, “I don’t quite understand you, Grimmchild.”

“Understand more you speak,” The Grimmchild pointed at himself, “Understand m̴̨̍y̶̧͛ ̴͙̓s̸̫̕p̶̠̋ê̷̼á̸̖k̷̺͊, more I eat you flame.”

Todoroki connected the dots, “So the more I feed you, the better you’ll get at talking?”

Grimmchild nodded eagerly, “Ỳ̸̫ö̷̬́ǘ̷̱ ̵̙͛w̸͕i̸̫̍l̷̝̅l̷͍̿ ̷̯̇u̴͇̐n̶̗͛d̴͍͝e̷̹r̶̢̂s̷̪t̵̨͗a̷̻͋n̵͕̈ḏ̶ ̴̟m̴̝̓y̸̠͊ ̶̥̊ŝ̸͈p̵̖̊e̵̛̩a̵̰͑k̵͖̐ ̶̖̋a̷̟̍f̴̞͌t̴̻̄e̶̠̓r̸̗͐ ̷̥́I̴͙͛ ̵͉̀u̸̘͘n̸̙̆d̵̢͑ė̴̼r̷͚̎ś̴̲ẗ̴̬ā̴̱n̴̆ͅd̷̰̍ ̵̱͛y̸̻̒o̵̝͌u̴̳͌r̶̰̎s̶̹͑.”

Todoroki regarded the summon with curiosity, its words making him wonder if, even unequipped, the Charm could change his flames to be like the Troupe’s. Calmer now, it made more sense that his flames were more scarlet as a side effect from being exposed during halftime. 

That made much more sense. He sighed. It wouldn’t be his father’s flames then. 

He let out a chuckle. What more a bigger middle finger to his father than to use someone else’s flames? Or a mixture of the two, as it appeared for now. The thought actually gave him comfort in the left side of his Quirk, as well as a wicked sense of revenge. He still had a feeling that he’d die by his hands today. Might as well go out with a bang.

Putting his chin in his hands, he thought back to the rumors growing up. Rumors that Endeavour killed the siblings he never met. Todoroki had curiously investigated, finding news articles from before he was born of those siblings dying in accidents. From the sounds of it, his father accidentally killed them, comparing their deaths to how he was trained. No convictions, just children being too eager. It happened to many parents, after all. Sometimes a kid would get so over excited that they’d accidentally kill themselves. It wasn’t so common these days, but apparently the more powerful you were, the more likely you were to die by your own Quirk as a child.

He doubted his siblings were any more powerful than him, it was just a good cover story. 

His mind wandered to Hornet, and how she found a child wandering the school grounds. Holly. 

Todoroki tried to piece together why a little kid would be walking around aimlessly in such a dangerous school of hyped-up teenagers training to be heroes. He’d asked, of course, but Holly would shrug. She didn’t remember anything before her Quirk, apparently. The theory that she came from what a lot of people called the “Fear Pit” located on the other side of the school, in that fake forest, also sounded like crap. But being so close, maybe part of her Quirk was due to that? A good idea, since, when she wanted to, the dripping intimidation she’d drop on a crowd to make them move sent shivers down even his spine, and it wasn’t directed at him. Conversely, he’d never personally agreed with the conspiracy theories that Holly was actually Hornet’s secret love child, but they made good arguments to their similarities. 

He found it more possible that Midoriya was All Might’s secret love child, after seeing his Quirk. His mom might actually be hiding him, and pretending to be Quirkless all your life was certainly a way to hide the fact that you’re All Might’s kid. Until you got into UA, at least.

“Shoto Todoroki, yo-”

“I’m coming,” He quickly switched his Charms, Grimmchild disappearing.

He’d need to corner Midoriya later, but of course, if you’re going to hide a secret, he could so easily lie. Or maybe Midoriya wasn’t ever told at all. But anyone who’d so far seen either of them and had two bits of sense probably figured out All Might could be his father. Todoroki remembered Holly mentioning that Midoriya’s father wasn’t in the picture, having apparently died, no body found. A likely theory. If Todoroki could share these ideas with the theorists online that he so often read, he would. Until then, he’d just have to passively read them at the school library when no one was looking. 

Well, it was a good thing he’d never trained, love child of All Might or not, and the lack of it made him weaker in the now. 

Todoroki took deep, heavy breaths. He lit his left hand on fire, watching the orange lick his fingers, towards the bottom, noticing the Troupe’s signature scarlet. It certainly wasn’t there before today, was it? He’d never had his left openly on fire either, and it felt like his memories today were hazier than they should have been.

“Stop that now,” The coordinator scolded him, “They’ll disqualify you before the match has even started.” The coordinator gestured forward, “OK, they’re ready for you.”

 _You fight like a bug_ , the words of Bakugo echoed in his mind. He’d never thought about his fighting style, a real fighting style. His father always wanted him to fight like a human, but before his mom was taken away, she taught him how to fight like a bug. Or at least, a very rudimentary version of it. 

There was Midoriya. It looked like he was trying to say something to the crowd, like he had in the rounds before, but again, his words were caught in his own throat.

“GO!”

He didn’t want to risk it. He just wanted the day to be over. Todoroki let out another huge ice wall.

There was a deafening smash, and Todoroki gasped. Midoriya’s finger was bruised, but it didn’t look broken. 

Well shit, and he had 9 more. 

He tried it again, wondering if he would be crazy enough to do it again. The ice wall cracked loudly, a deafening sonic boom that he could FEEL. It blew him back a tiny bit.

"Come on, you're not even trying again!" Midoriya shouted at him, "You don't deserve to be the best if you're not trying your best!"

"You and Bakugo are so similar," he replied coolly. His left side lit up as his body screamed at the joy of use, "But that shouldn't surprise me. You grew up together, after all. I get the feeling you're always this helpful."

Midoriya held out a pained fist, letting out a small smile, "It's a hero's job to help everyone, even those they're fighting."

Todoroki's eyes widened. He should talk to Midoriya more after this, if Todoroki lived through the day. His flames burned bright orange with those undertones of the Troupe’s scarlet.

“Dance with me, Midoriya,” he said, turning his voice silky. These weren’t his flames after all, and now, all he could think of was the Nightmare King’s approving, loving look, “Let’s give them a show that will be talked about for centuries.”

Midoriya smiled, looking surprised. 

The boys ran towards each other, screaming. 

Midoriya threw the fist punch, airwaves blowing all around.

“Faster, faster,” Todoroki chanted, surrounding him with fire. With ice he made sculptures, letting the flames melt their bottoms as he ran with them, deliberately trying to confuse his opponent as he looked for an opening.

“SMASH!” Midoriya shouted, cracking the ground dramatically and blowing away all of his work.

“You fight like a bug,” He said to Todoroki, “It takes two to tango!”

Todoroki smirked, “You fight like one too. Did she teach you how to fight like that?”

He answered with a smash that missed, and Todoroki kicked the back of his legs. Midoriya fell, but not before grabbing his right arm and pulling him over, flipping him to his back. Todoroki hit the ground with surprising force, his vision swimming for a moment.

Midoriya screamed as his arm became frozen, and Todoroki flipped over and up, punching him in the nose with his own frozen fist. 

Freezing his feet to the ground, Todoroki leaned forward, considering for a moment telling him everything, let it out in front of the crowd. He put his cold hand over Midoriya’s mouth, feeling his hot, bloody nose drip over his hand.

“You’re a good dancer,” He whispered instead, “Make no mistake, I’m taking this as seriously as you. I just want to put on a good show too. You’d be knocked out by now if I didn’t.”

Midoriya threw him, and Todoroki stopped himself from being flung out with another wall of ice.

Forming an icy Nail of his own, Todoroki looked at his classmate, "Let’s finish this, shall we?”

He lunged forward and struck him with the blade. Midoriya grabbed it, snapping it with ease, punching Todoroki in the face. In response he was punched in the nose again, this time with hot fire.

Midoriya stumbled backwards, and Todoroki, with both fire and ice, punched him in the stomach, making him drop to the ground. 

Jumping on top of him he quickly froze Midoriya to the ground, holding him by the neck. He had a new icy blade pressed to his neck, so sharp it accidentally broke skin.

Midoriya looked at him, smiling, daring to not struggle lest he get cut more. “You’re a good fighter. Call what we just did whatever you want, you’d be a great hero.”

Todoroki let out a hoarse, crazy laugh, as Midnight declared him the winner. He unfroze his classmate and walked away to Recovery Girl, letting Midoriya find his own way there, not waiting.

As soon as he was away from everyone, he let out a single tear. 

_I’m not him, I’m not him, I’m not him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I rewrote this like... too many times lol. Deleted/alternate scenes include Shoto telling Izuku that his dad's going to die, Katsuki finding out about Holly's status, and Shoto having a complete meltdown. In the end I felt most happy with this final version of the chapter. Coming up with a title was hard, but then I thought "hey this mainly focuses on the current gen being better than the last) sooo...yeah XD  
> Hope you guys liked, leave a comment uwu


	25. Our Lives Will Never Be the Same

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The U.A. Sports Festival has come to an exciting end! The winners are crowned, and all of classes will be off as everyone gets some well-needed rest. Meanwhile, Todoroki and Iida's lives are completely changed, for better or worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minor Edit: realized Hosu City was spelled as House City :")  
> I have corrected that.

“The UA Sports festival for the first years has now ended!” Midnight announced happily. Fireworks danced above the stadium as celebratory music played, “Now it’s time to relax and enjoy the awards ceremony!”

Behind her, from the ground, a cloud of smoke appeared, lifting up the competitors. 

Holly and Katsuki stood on the 3rd place spot next to each other, while Izuku stood in second, trying to hold back the happy tears in his eyes. Almost ashamed looking, Shoto stood on the number on spot, his new charm summon hovering nearby.

“Of course, only one can give out the awards ceremony!” Midnight gestured to the top of the stadium, where a familiar figure stood. All Might appeared and the crowd went wild.

“I AM HERE!” All Might swan dived from the top, landing besides then and giving a mighty pose.

“Our number one hero, All Might!” Midnight said at the same time, then looked rather disgruntled at herself.

“I ruined that didn’t I?” All Might asked.

“You did,” Midnight agree, pulling out the medals, turning back on her microphone, “So now that you’re here All Might, why don’t you start the presentation?”

All Might took the box, and walked up to the third placers, “Young Hollow, you did an excellent job here today.”

Holly bowed, accepting the medal, only to find herself hugging the hero.

“Young warrior you may be, you’ve still got a lot to learn about heroics. I hope you stick around long enough to experience it,” He muttered to her.

Holly blinked to show that she heard him, not given the chance to hug back when he turned to her friend.

“Young Bakugo, your brashness got you to where you set out to do. Not many would come as far as you did.”

“Now that I know how they fight you bet your ass I’ll be standing in the number one spot next year All Might!” He said, only very reluctantly accepting his medal. 

All Might laughed, then hugged him as well, “You're a really passionate young man. Hopefully you can turn that aggressive nature to more of an aggressive kindness.”

“YOU SAYING I AIN’T KIND?!”

“Calm down son, I only meant to say to act a bit more human amongst your own kind. That’d make you a really popular hero.”

Katsuki seemed to consider this as All Might went to Izuku.

“Young Midoriya, as second place, please, accept this medal.”

Izuku was trying to wipe away his tears as he bowed. Then, he tried to not bawl in happiness when his hero hugged him.

“You’re embarrassing me kid,” He chuckled, “Well, I’m proud of you for making it this far. You’ve got to learn to control the waterworks though.”

“Thank you sir,” He squeaked out, “Sorry, I’m so happy.”

“I’m happy for you too!” All Might stood up, his smile almost seemed to get wider, then he walked to Shoto.

“You’ve displayed excellent work of your Quirk today son,” He said, “Although, I’ve never seen that look on your face before.”

Shoto bowed silently, and when All Might gave him a hug, he whispered, “I want to be a hero like you sir. But…” This was the number one hero, surely he could do something? “I’m scared.”

“What are you afraid of, son?” All Might asked gently.

“I don’t want to become like _him_.” 

All Might pulled back, and looked at Shoto sincerely, “You are ten times the man than your father already, and show promise to be ten times the hero.”

Shoto’s eyes widened, if only a fraction, in surprise, but then in pride. All Might could see a small hint of his eyes becoming glassy, but no tears spilled. 

“I have a lot to think about,” Shoto replied, “I’m… so confused today. They opened my eyes. I still want to be a hero, but I don’t even know what kind of hero to be anymore.”

“Well, trust yourself. I’m sure you’ll work things out.”

He nodded.

All Might stepped back, looking at the remaining students. 

“Here they are, the winners of the Sports Festival!” All Might announced, “But listen closely! Any of you first years could have ended up standing on these podiums! Think about what you’ve done today. You’ve learned about each other, challenged each other, and climbed even closer to your goals and being pros! I think our next generation of pros is looking to be the most promising one yet!” All Might pointed to the air, “So I have one more thing to say! I want to hear you all cheer it from the bottom of your hearts!”

The audience screamed “PLUS ULTRA” while All Might shouted, “Thank you everyone for your hard work!”

The audience immediately booed, saying that was the perfect time to say Plus Ultra, All Might awkwardly protesting. 

* * *

They had all changed back into their school uniforms, and had gone back to homeroom. Izuku looked back at what he learned today, about his classmates. Even his friends made worthy opponents.

“Everyone, you have the next 2 days off of school to rest,” Mr. Aiazawa told them, “But then, it’s back to work.”

“Yes sir!” The class replied.

“Alright, everyone dismissed,” Mr. Aizawa said, “Todoroki, stay behind. We need to have a talk.”

Everyone else grabbed their bags, glancing at their classmate. His face was expressionless, but they could read his eyes: confusion. 

“Is there something wrong sir?” Todoroki picked up his bag and walked to his teacher as the class filed out.

Mr. AIzawa glanced at the stragglers, Holly and a curious Izuku, “Scram. I won’t ask you again.”

They left quickly, and the door shut behind them. Mr. Aizawa looked at his student, and sighed, “You’re not going home today.”

“What?!”

“I suppose those memories aren’t exactly back yet. Come with me, we need to go to the principal's office.”

“Wait, sir, wh-” Todoroki was cut off as Mr. Aizawa bound him with his scarf, a single eye glowing deep red.

“I’ll tell you more when we get there, but I’d prefer it if you didn’t resist.”

Todoroki nodded, and the Grimmchild didn’t attack him at all. He had half expected it too, but maybe his teacher’s Quirk worked even on it. Mr. Aizawa put him down.

“Come on.”

Shoto followed his teacher out of the class, recognizing the path to the principal’s office.

There was a part of him that wanted to run. He had planned to go and visit his mother today, before going to his inevitable death. But his father had been called away, and during the festival. Maybe this was about that? Was… was he killed?

A sick, deep hope filled him, but so did dread. If something could kill him, it was much, much more dangerous and fearful than Endeavour could ever be.

He stopped at the door, seeing two male police officers, and what was probably a detective. Grimm was there, sitting on a chair sipping tea, as was the principal.

“What’s happened to my father?” He asked.

Grimm snapped his fingers, and a stage hand of his appeared.

“Restore the memories,” Grimm’s rough voice said.

The stage hand touched him on the forehead, and what happened after halftime came rushing back into Todoroki’s mind. His eyes widened, as he took a step back.

Grimm snapped his fingers again, and he was in the middle of the room, the stage hand gone.

“You are safe, kid,” One of the officers said, “He won’t be able to harm you any more.”

Todoroki looked around, eyes wide. Panic set in his chest, settling deep down within him He looked around at everyone, feeling like a trapped animal.

“Todoroki,” Principal Nezu said gently, “he’s already been arrested. He’s detained as we speak. We know what’s going on.”

“You don’t get it,” He said, trying to hold in the oncoming panic attack, “He’s-he’s.”

“Upon my unholy fire, that man shall never lay another hand upon your person,” Grimm interrupted, “You have been blessed by my Troupe, and, having no relatives yourself, we have always fostered.”

“F-foster?”

“Indeed, child,” Grimm stood up, touching the space between Todoroki’s eyes, “You have participated in the Nightmare King’s ritual, and completed it successfully. Even Grimmchild has grown. You have been blessed, and in our arms, we welcome you.”

“I’m not exactly religious,” He took a step back, willing _something_ , but he noticed his teacher’s eyes glow dangerously.

Grimm let out a laugh, deep and raspy. “We are not religious either, child. We are bugs, and the Nightmare King is our ruler, over that of the Spider Princess. We are, admittedly, a much smaller bunch than the entirety of Bug Kind she rules over, and much more selective. You will live amongst us, and still go to school here.”

Grimmchild cooed happily at this, “Fine, fine. We be fine.”

He glanced at the police officers, “Then why are they here, if I am to go to the world of bugs?”

“You don’t have to,” that same one answered, “there would be plenty of human foster families that would be happy to take you. You’re Shoto Todoroki, after all. We’re here in case you don’t want to.”

Todoroki looked away, at his feet, his cheeks burning. He could understand why they took away his memories. Unedited, he could hear Grimm talking about not ruining him, how he was trying to protect him. Unaltered, he remembered how easily Grimm defended him, almost as if Endeavour was nothing.

“I’ll go,” he said horsley, “But… I wanted to see my mom first. I know she’s…”

“I will not forbid you from seeing your mother, my blessed child,” Grimm said kindly, and Todoroki looked up at him, shaking. Grimm gently took his chin so they were looking each other in the eyes, “And do not fear, for the Higher Being Nightmare King has your desires near. Unless you say, the press nor your classmates shall ever find out.”

He nodded, putting in shaking trust in Grimm.

“That was easier than I thought,” the other one, who had been silent, said.

The police officers nodded at them.

“Sit, Mr. Todoroki. And have some tea. It’ll calm those nerves of yours,” Nezu said, pouring a cup just for him. 

Todoroki sat down, taking the cup in his hands as the adults began to talk about paperwork. It flew past his ears, everything suddenly a numb blur. He felt himself going pale, gripping the cup of tea so hard to stop the shakes, but he _couldn't_. A strange shell shock washed over him.

 _He can't harm me_ , Todoroki realized, _And I will never let him again._

Grimmchild cried out, trying to cuddle him, and Todoroki dropped the tea and began to cry tears of relief in front of them all.

Later that day, late into the evening, Todoroki was taken to his new home in a burst of flames. It looked to be a simple home, if not much smaller than he’d thought. There was the living room, and then the kitchen with the table, that immediately gave way to the bedrooms. It was all colored like the Troupe’s scarlet, silver and black. Todoroki found it all very cozy, especially seeing on the couches what looked like crocheted pillows.

“Yours is on the furthest end, my child,” Grimm roughly said, “I have already taken liberties in getting new civilian clothes for you.”

It took him a second to realize that all he ever had was what was in his backpack and his own school uniform. 

“Thank you,” he said, then walked around this strange and small house. 

The last room had a single, twin sized bed pushed in the corner, with a small desk and bedside. There was a little window above the bed. On the bed itself, there were folded clothes, an extra school uniform, and a different type of bag, one similar to what he would carry with him out of school hours, as well as a new pair of shoes and underclothes. He figured if Grimm had stage hands who could pick his mind, that he picked his mind on basic things like this. But it made it easier for him.

He changed, realizing that this was all bug-made clothes, and not human. Bugs didn’t like how humans made clothes, and the texture of the clothes reminded him of Hornet’s very simple red dress when she carried him back to that place. Spider’s silk maybe? And just a more common spider, not one made from the only royal still out and about.

Grimmchild floated above him, resting on the ground, waiting for him. He sprung up as Todoroki finished, cooing happily. Todoroki found that everything fit him perfectly, and it was extremely comfortable as he walked back into the living room.

Grimm was crocteching, sitting on the couch patiently as he watched-

“Wait, is that my mom?” Todoroki asked, surprised.

Grimm chuckled, “Why yes, my blessed child. She was a theater lover as well. Before she got married, she did many collaborations with the Troupe. We consider her an honorary member.”

On the television, his mom was singing in a play, making icy, moth-like wings on her back as the Grimm’s fire surrounded her, making her look like a beautiful, safe angel. 

“ _So come to me, we can change night into day, I’ll take thy hands so you never go astray_ ,” his mother sang. She looked so much younger, so much happier.

“This one was a play we did on the dangers of Radiance,” Grimm explained, “It was a musical. We were trying to teach other children how to reject Radiance’s call.”

On the TV screen she attacked one of them, making their eyes frosted over with ice. The bug made his eyes glow orange, to signify that he was now under her control as his mother danced, others coming out as she held out her hands. The performers jerked, as if she was controlling them all. 

“She has such excellent control over her ice,” Grimm commented, “A beautiful performer, really. I was so very sad when she retired after getting married.” He looked at Todoroki, “Oh, you can go visit her if you wish. Snap your fingers, Grimmchild will take you to the entrance of the hospital. Snap them again and you will return here.”

Todoroki looked at Grimm carefully, then snapped his fingers. He was surrounded by scarlet flames, and the next moment, he was in front of the mental hospital his mother was kept.

Checking in was surprisingly easy, and Todoroki had thought it would be much harder.

He stood in front of his mom’s room, hesitant. The Grimmchild nuzzled his back, as if trying to push him forward. 

Todoroki had never visited his mom. Endeavour never prevented him, but the day she burned his left side, she had screamed not about him but about his father. How he needed to die. When he insanity waned she realized it was him, and had tried to heal him before his father came in and…

He shuddered. Todoroki didn’t want to make it worse for her if he still reminded her of his father. It’s why he never wanted to use his flames. Not just as a big fuck you to his father, but so that, if his mother was ever watching, she’d never see it. He hoped she didn’t watch his performance today.

He took a deep breath, then opened the door.

His mom was looking out the window, in simple, grey clothes. She turned to him.

“Mom,” he said, voice cracking.

“My baby,” she replied, getting up slowly and holding out her arms.

Todoroki didn’t hesitate and hugged her tightly, tears flowing freely down his cheeks.

“You were incredible today Shoto,” she ruffled his hair, “Your performance was beautiful. I’m so proud.”

That just made him cry harder.

* * *

Meanwhile, Iida rode the train to Hosu City, where his brother was. His mother had been frantic on the phone, and he bounced a leg impatiently, hoping the ride would be over soon.

After another agonizing hour, Iida jumped from the train and ran to the hospital, laws be damned. He needed to see his brother.

He burst through the hospital doors.

“Tensei Iida,” he gasped to the ladies, quickly pulling out his student ID, “I’m his brother, Tenya Iida!”

The receptionist looked at him, surprised, then told him the room.

“Sir, you need a mask!” She called Iida as he took off like a bullet to his brother’s room. His mom was already there, crying.

“How is he?!” Iida asked, trying to not cry.

His mother shook her head as he burst into the room.

“Tenya, you need a mask they say!” His mom protested weakly behind him.

There was Tensei, hooked up to so many machines he was hardly recognizable. 

“Tensei,” Iida cried, walking to his side, “Are you OK?”

Tensei opened his eyes slowly, then looked at his younger brother. He let out a deep sigh.

“I was hoping to see you one last time brother.”

“Don’t talk like that! You’re OK, see?”

Tensei smiled slowly, “I love you, Tenya. Take on my mantle, and continue our legacy.”

He closed his eyes, and, as if that was the only thing keeping him in this world, Tensei’s heart stopped. 

Tenya screamed at his brother to wake up, even as security guards dragged him and his mom away to try and resuscitate him. 

That night, the Turbo Hero Ingenium took his last breath, and died in the hospital from his wounds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How many characters will I kill? Iida's brother was on my hit list apparently, to make him even MORE motivated. I didn't INTEND for him to die at first, but then I thought "I killed 2 children and brutally gored one of them, what's an adult hero to me anyways. He's surrounded by his family at least."  
> So he died.  
> SPORTS FESTIVAL OVER :DDD  
> TIME FOR HERO KILLER STAIIIIIN  
> With some side dishes of more grief, fear, and generally fucked-up ness. I mean, they are dealing with a guy who kills people, and Stain actually scared the shit outta me when I saw him fighting on-screen  
> Hopefully I can capture how scary he is, and, conversely, how much scarier the Void can be.


	26. What to Choose?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hitoshi Shinso is has made it into the hero course! Everyone seems a bit standoff-ish, except Izuku Midoriya and Hollow, but that doesn't exactly bring him comfort.  
> Meanwhile, everyone chooses their names, the the internships being.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mild suicidal ideation warnings. Not explicit, but they're still there. But then again, you clicked on a story that has a lot of violence in it, so what's a dash of suicide to ya?

It was like Class 1-A was dripping in a strange, confused anxiety. Seat 16’s little memorial had been cleared, as well as seat 19’s. The students felt a strange sense of loss in the homeroom.

Kirishima, in particular, stared at Toru Hagakure’s old spot, looking without seeing. 

Hitoshi Shinso walked in, not late, but a bit early. Class 1-A was known for its punctuality, and most of the students had already filed in. He looked at the seating chart, then sat down in seat 19.

The few students in there seemed confused by the new arrival.

“Hey, you’re in the wrong class,” Sato said to him, “This is Class 1-A’s homeroom.”

Shinso smiled, “I’m right where I’m supposed to be. Mr. Aizawa will agree with me when he starts.”

“Oh, you’re that kid from generals who lost to Holly,” Sue spoke up, and Shinso turned to her, nodding.

“Is that what you guys call it?” He asked her.

Sue ribbited in confusion, “Don’t be racist. Just because she’s a bug, ribbit, doesn’t mean she’s not a person.”

His eyes widened a bit in confusion. So that’s what it’s disguise was? A normal, every day bug? He’d not ever call his foe a bug.

“Sorry,” He said, not wanting to start on the wrong foot, “I wasn’t sure what they were.”

She nodded and smiled, letting out another ribbit. 

Speak of the devil, he thought, as it walked in with a pair of boys. They were all chattering amicably, as if something like that could befriend anything.

The blonde one, Bakugo, Shinso recognized, and Midoriya. Bakugo turned his gaze to a few desks to Shinso’s. 

“Who the fuck are you and what are you doing in his old desk?” Bakugo asked him.

“I was transferred into the hero course after my performance in the festival,” he replied again, annoyed he’d probably have to repeat this to nearly everyone who came in now.

“Kacchan,” It scolded. Shinso could feel the fake emotion in its voice, as if it had perfected such mimicry, “Do not pick on him.”

The boy looked at it, then sat a few desks away, shaking. Midoriya sat between them now. _And now it was sitting right behind him._

“Hi,” He held out his hand, “I’m Izuku Midoriya. What’s your name?”

Shinso knew he was just trying to be polite, and decided to shake his hand, “I’m Hitoshi Shinso.”

“Congrats on making it into the heroes course Hitoshi,” Midoriya said happily, smiling at him, “Sorry about Kacchan, but at least you’re not in... “ he glanced behind him, “Well, I doubt we’ll get anyone else. He might’ve blown a fuse if he saw you on the other desk.”

“Thanks,” Shinso replied, then cocked his head in mild confusion, “Were you raised by bugs? You’re talking a bit…Buggish, if I may say. Or are you just foreign?”

“Oh!” Midoriya blushed a little, “Did you want me to address you by your last name? I’m sorry, yes, I was!” He laughed nervously, “I grew up in a neighborhood with mostly bugs. It’s a bit hard now in a place with mostly humans sometimes. I still tend to think of everyone by their first names.”

“It’s OK,” He shrugged, “I don’t really care. You’ll be calling me by my hero name soon enough, won’t you? I heard after the festival everyone gets to choose their hero names, and we also get internships.”

“If we are, we probably are today,” Midoriya rubbed his head nervously, “What is your Quirk exactly? How does it work? I know you can take over minds, but your performance with Holly-”

Shinso flinched at her name, and Midoriya looked at him, confused.

“Are you OK?”

Shinso glanced at the bug sitting in its desk, the darkness almost lazily waiting around for something. It was as if so much exposure made him hyper aware of its true nature when he was near, and it unsettled him.

“That Quirk of… Holly’s. It… what is it? The one that makes them so...dark.”

Midoriya’s eyes widened with a spark of interest, “Oh! That one is really interesting! She calls it the Void Quirk! It gives her really good resistance to damage, and when she’s hit she’ll gain a temporary invulnerability for a few seconds! She can intimidate people really well! That’s good against villains. Oh, and Holly also has a way of cheating being knocked out or killed. It’s actually really scary to look at, but she calls it her Shade, and if she takes too much damage she’ll shatter and it will come out! It seems to put everyone but her looking at it in some sort of trance. It certainly made me think she’d died. It’s just one of many Quirks she has, and being part bug, it makes her a really good foe to face off against!”

“Shade,” Shinso muttered to himself. “What does it look like?”

Izuku smiled widely, “So it’s like what she looks like in her hero costume, except bright white eyes and a shredded lower body.”

He glanced behind him again. The Shade. That’s what was probably scaring him so much, an unrestrained darkness she kept within herself.

“You don’t have to be scared of her,” Midoriya said, putting a hand on his shoulder, “The Shade can’t touch you.”

“It’s the Shade that I saw,” He said, “That thing is the scariest creature I’ve ever seen. When I tried to take over her mind, what you describe... that's what I saw,” his voice cracked a little at the memory. Shinso was obviously still very, very scared of that Dark.

“Well, she’s not so scary when you get to know her,” Midoirya's smile seemed to grow wider, “Hey, Holly, you want to say hi to the new kid?”

Holly stood up and approached, and Shinso’s heart pounded in his ears as it grew closer. He could tell that she kept it locked up within herself, that Void she had named Shade. 

“Hitoshi Shinso, we meet again,” the pair shook hands, and Shinso thought he would feel the Shade underneath the skin, but was surprised by the softness of her exoskeleton. Touching her actually somehow got rid of some of his fear of the Shade, which he could tell wasn’t even interested in him. It didn’t seem interested in anyone, it just seemed like it wanted to leave this place and return to where it had originated from.

He assumed that, unless specifically called or brought out, the Shade was actually rather passive within her. Knowing it was contained safely within her made him feel a bit better.

“Your Shade is scary dude.”

“Apologies, but from what I gathered, the Shade within had become annoyed that someone else would call upon it.”

His face twisted into confusion. “Someone else?”

“Why, of course,” she let out a small smile at him, seemingly amused at his reactions, “But I do thank you for reminding us how to attack. My Vengeful Spirit has become my Shade's Soul, and we are now more one with each other. Should I hope, I would say that the more we Shade remember, the more of an effective hero I may become. I wouldn’t want you to try that again to remind us how to do things. My Shade threatened your death, it will kill you the second time around.”

“So… you actually nearly killed him?!” Midoriya sounded horrified.

“Well, the Shade recognizes it is among humans, and understands that a stern warning and nearly dying would give a good lesson learned,” Holly replied. “He nearly died of fright, but I was able to control it.”

“That’s still not heroic, Holly.”

“I did not let him be overexposed, did I?”

“Can you clarify what you mean by overexposed?” Izuku asked curiously, wanting to learn more about his friend’s main Quirk.

Holly made a hand motion, as if she was thinking. “Overexposure to the Shade. Or, more accurately, the Void in its more raw form. Raw darkness like that could kill those it was not meant for, or drive one to insanity.”

“Your darkness always seemed different from Dark Shadow,” Fumikage had walked in and sat down, “And they used to call me a monster. You’d send them heading for the hills.”

“You should’ve seen her back in middle school. Known you my entire life Holly, but god damn you can still scare the shit out of me when you do that with your Quirk,” Katsuki reluctantly acknowledged, finally seemingly to get out of his trance.

“For most, it is scary. But intimidation may get a rampaging villain to give up.”

“I never thought about it like that,” Fumikage mused.

Izuku wanted to say that she didn’t scare him so much as attracted him. That darkness was always inviting, the calm in the eye of a storm. Something he would have once gladly raced towards, to close his eyes and never wake up again. To embrace the nothing…

He touched his wrists, trying to keep the blush from crawling up his face. She was exactly that nothingness he’d once craved, almost as much as he wanted to be a hero. Sometimes Izuku would wonder if his desire to be a hero mixed with his desire to fall back into nothing, to go out saving someone while sacrificing himself. Their lives, more worth it than his. And as long as they were saved, then he would be glad to never see another day, having done the only thing he’d be good for.

He shook his head, trying to get out of that mentality. If he’d die now, One for All would be a useless gift. He was glad for the Quirk, elated for it, and was glad he had Holly’s Void Quirk was there to give him a sense of stability. Now, he’d need to find his own, and become his own hero, hopefully not one as…

Izuku didn’t want to admit to how he was, shaking away the train of thought, focusing hard on Mr. Aizawa now, who had walked in.

“Well, it seems you all have noticed our newcomer,” his voice was exhausted and dull as always, “Everyone welcome Hitoshi Shinso, the only one in generals who was good enough to get into the hero course.”

The class clapped politely. Shinso could read the mood of the room: he was in the seat of the gone. They might’ve lost their classmates on the second day of school, but he concluded that they were still traumatized from the event. He’d have to somehow earn their trust, if he was to be accepted. While he was planning on being number 1, he knew that even All Might had support, especially with bugs. His skin crawled a bit, thinking about the fact that he'd probably have to team up with Holly and her deadly Shade. 

Shinso glanced at Midoriya. At least he was a welcoming, if not a nervous, wreck.

“You’ve all earned quite a bit of people wanting you for internships,” He continued, “Everyone at least got one. Even our newcomer here.”

Shinso’s eyes widened in surprise. Someone had an offer for him already? He never expected that, since he wasn’t even officially in the hero course at the time of the festival.

“We’ll be passing out the forms and you can choose who to accept after you pick your hero names. They will be your codenames while you’re there, and may very well end up as your new hero names. Choose wisely,” With that, Mr. Aizawa crawled into a yellow sleeping bag and fell to the floor as Midnight strolled in, “After this the unpaid internships will begin, and you’ll all be off helping heroes for the next two weeks for your studies.” 

“Thank you for the non-existent introduction Mr. Aizawa,” She said sarcastically.

Mr. Aizawa grunted from his bag as Midnight turned to the class.

“Well, I’ll be judging your names today!” She smiled at them all, “And helping you choose! I’ll be rejecting any bad names and helping you refine them. Your name defines who you are as a hero, and helps you be recognizable.” 

Class 1-A now more enthusiastically cheered, the students ecstatic. Shinso smiled too. He was finally going to be a hero.

Midnight passed out white boards to them all.

“Now then,” She said, “Come up here and show it to the class once you’ve chosen it. Don’t be shy now, these are going to be your hero names after all!”

Holly was the first to stand. Walking up to the Podium she showed what she had written

_The Ghost Knight Hero._

“Ah, you’re planning to get Knighted as well then young Hollow?” Midnight asked, and Holly nodded.

“I wish to be a hero to the bugs and humans,” She replied.

“Well, I think it’s rather classy. Mystical almost. The Ghost Hero, oooo, suits you perfectly. And Ghost Knight Hero slides off the tongue. Classical bug phrasing, I rather like it. Alright, who’s next?”

Holly sat back down in her seat, and Izuku tapped his marker against the table, trying to think hard.

When he and Kacchan were little, they’d always come up with playful hero names. It was before his Quirk came in, theorizing what sort of things they’d be. The Super Hero, the Delightful Hero, Punchy-Man Hero… he smiled to himself, thinking about it. Kacchan never knew what kind of name he’d have, so all of those names he’d say, trying to guess his Quirk.

An even older memory came to mind.

They were down by the stream in the forest, making a fort that would become their hero base, thinking of names to call themselves. They were 3, maybe even 4 at the time. He couldn’t remember exactly how old they were but that didn’t matter much.

“Defender Izuku!” Kacchan cried out, dancing as he brought more sticks for their fort, “That’s your hero name! What do you think?”

“A bit of a mouthful Kacchan,” Izuku replied happily, “But I like it!”

“Hmmm, what about Deku!” He suggested instead, hands on hips, suddenly very proud of himself. “D-E for defender, and K-U for the last two letters in your name!”

“How do you know how to spell defender?”

“You HAVE to trust me, dummy for brains,” Kacchan said, “Mom says I’m super smart for already reading like a big kid.”

“Well, I like Deku,” Izuku replied, “Defender Izuku! No matter my Quirk, defending people is very hero-like!”

“Of course!” Kacchan agreed, “This is so exciting!” He jumped up and down happily, “Deku, defender of joy! Deku, defender of happiness!”

They started to sing a song from a cartoon that Izuku couldn’t remember about anymore. He could hear the tune in his head, but the words, even in the memory, was lost to him.

His mind wandered more as he thought. He looked at his classmates, choosing their names so easily. Kacchan was getting “Lord Explosion Murder” denied, much to his amusement.

Deku…. His nickname for years, be it scorned or loved.

“Defenseless Izuku,” Katsuki’s harsh voice and face came to mind. They were in elementary school. Holly wasn’t there, and Izuku wanted to know if, at this new school, they could be friends again.

“K-Kacchan?” Tears began spilling down his cheeks, “That’s so mean. I’m not defenseless!”

“Stay away from me,” Katsuki held out his hands, and he was crying too, “Please. Stay away from me. Or I’ll beat you to a pulp! I take back what Deku means! It means Defenseless Izuku! You’re no defender if you can’t defend yourself!”

He had turned and ran away from Izuku. Izuku was left there, standing by himself, crying.

Lazily, he drew circles on the board, remembering. He wiped an unexpected tear from his eyes, not realizing that it still _hurt_ to think about.

“You’re my Deku,” They were in 6th grade, and Holly was walking with him.

“What does Deku mean to you, really?” Izuku had asked.

She paused for a moment, “I remember you saying it means ‘Defender Izuku.’ I quite liked that. It’s simple. And easy.”

He sighed. Holly probably had never gotten the memo about Kacchan’s new and scorned meaning for it. Everyone called him that in middle school as a way to make fun of him, but the way she said it, Izuku knew she was using the original meaning.

What did it mean to him, now? He remembers how Uraraka called it cute, and not anyone should just call him that. She didn’t know either.

Didn’t the word queer used to be a slur, against gay people? But they took it back, and call themselves queer in pride now. Maybe it was time for him to take it back too. Take back the now scorned name, and use its original meaning. He has a Quirk now, he can be a defender! Erasing his mindless doodles, Izuku wrote in big letters **_DEKU_ **on the whiteboard. 

“Midoriya, we still haven’t seen your name,” Midnight said to him. He looked up, snapping from his thoughts.

“Oh, right,” He stood up. His face burned, and he was nervous. With shaking hands, he showed the class his hero name.

“Deku?” The class asked in confusion.

“Don’t you hate that nickname?” Iida asked from the back.

“I used to,” He admitted, then, glanced at Katsuki, then Holly, “But… I’ve remembered now what it was supposed to mean. The name of someone who defends joy and happiness!”

Izuku didn’t miss how Katsuki’s eyes widened in shock. He’d given the name so long ago, Izuku was surprised he didn’t forget where it came from either. Deku meant something to be ashamed of for so long to so many.

“A long time ago someone tried to twist the meaning of it. But I’m taking it back, and making it my own!” He declared, and he saw Holly clap. The entire class whooped and cheered for him. 

“I approve of this name,” Midnight said happily, “It’s cute, and simple!”

The class bell rang. Did it really take them all so long that it was lunch time? Izuku must’ve been really lost in thought to have missed so much. And to miss the other bells too.

“One more thing before you all leave,” Mr. Aizawa stood within his sleeping bag, looking at the class through his bandages, “You don’t have to choose any agency that’s reached out, we also have 40 set agencies that work closely with us, so you can choose any of them if you like. Alright, now get out of here. We’ll be giving them to you after lunch.”

The class scrambled, and Izuku went to Iida. Despite being lost in his thoughts for the past few hours, he was still concerned.

“Iida!” Izuku called, walking to him, “Are you OK?”

Iida sighed, “I’m not.”

“You know, they have grief counselors for us,” Izuku said, “And… well I’m your friend. You can talk to me about anything.”

“He wanted me to take up his hero name, before he died,” Iida said, his voice surprisingly steady, “But I won’t. Not until Stain is brought in.”

“I heard tha-”

“Midoriya, please. I’d rather not talk about it,” Izuku could tell that Iida had forced a smile on his face, “I’m surprised you chose Deku as your name!”

He blushed a bit, “uhh- yeah, I did. It originally meant defender Izuku.”

“Defender Izuku? Simple, I like it.”

Izuku blushed some more. “Thanks. Do you have any idea where you’re going?”

“I’ll probably take some offers from Hosu City,” Iida replied, “I know my brother’s agency… well, I know they’ve for sure sent one.”

“Iida, you really think it’s a goo-”

“Of course! I’ll be inheriting the agency when I graduate, but for now, one of my brother’s sidekicks is managing it until then!”

Izuku decided to not push the issue, if he really was just doing it for his brother’s agency, and not for revenge.

Lunch came and went, Class 1-A returning to the homeroom. Izuku was muttering to himself, now looking at all his options. God, second place in the festival yielded a lot of results. Not as much as Shoto, however. Holly and Kacchan got a good chunk of offers as well. 

“Ah, Midoriya, why are you squatting above your seat like that?” Mina cried out when she walked by.

“Oh, I’m just trying to get some exercise in,” He sat all the way down, eyes a bit wide at being called out, “I have to exercise for my Quirk doesn’t backlash on me.”

“That makes sense. I was going to ask if you knew where you were going.”

Izuku blushed, “Well, uhm, I think I’ve narrowed it down, but I’m not sure yet.”

Mina thought for a moment, “I was thinking maybe the Hollownest Agency, since I’m half bug, but I also want to see how humans fight. I might do a coin toss and see where I end up.”

“Yeah, I was thinking about it too,” Izuku looked at the long list of agencies. He could end up anywhere, really. From the lower agencies to some of the bigger ones. The Hollownest Agency and Best Jeanest’s agencies were easily the best ones he had gotten, although he knew Hornet extended her hand to nearly every bug aspiring to be a hero. Rarely would she invite humans to be interns, so either he caught her eyes or the Grandmother Moth was playing a hand in this.

He hadn’t seen the Grandmother Moth in a while, though, and she had made herself scarce to any calls he’d try to make. 

He turned in his seat, “Hey, Holly, who’s your agency?”

“Of course I would choose the Hollownest Agency.” She replied, “Nailmaster Mato is there, and he can teach me to be a more effective fighter. I may meet Sheo as well and learn 2 Nail Arts. You cannot really learn any fighting skills like I will need. If Grandmother Moth decides to come, then I shall learn more of the Dream Nail Quirk.”

“Grandmother Moth isn’t there?”

“She comes and goes. Hornet does not like talking about her, so I have not asked her whereabouts.”

Izuku looked at his list of agencies again.

Ah, fuck it, Hollownest Agency it is. If he was going to help Holly in her mission, he might as well train with her so they could better learn together.

He sighed and leaned back in his seat, then quickly filled out the form and turned it in.

Mr. Aizawa gave them their costumes, and Class 1-A was carted into another bus. His mom had already dropped off the things he’d need while they were picking names. He didn’t tell her exactly where she was going, since Izuku didn’t want to get her hopes up if Hornet didn’t plan for them to stay in town for whatever reason. He knew enough about the Princess Hero that she often investigated many bug-related problems all over the country, and tended to travel more often than not during the day.

It looked like the rest of Class 1-A’s parents had been given the short notice, since it looked like everyone’s parents had packed them all at least a small pack of personal items. Izuku wondered if UA was always this spontaneous, or if everyone’s parents knew beforehand, and the school had asked for them to not be told. Based on everyone’s reactions, and how quickly most of them had their items dropped off, he guessed the latter. 

“Who did you choose, Kacchan?” He asked his friend, who’d been messing on his phone.

Katsuki smirked at him, “Best Jeanist’s agency. The number 4 hero is bound to have a lot to learn from, even if I personally am not the biggest fan.”

Izuku nodded.

“Who’d you choose Deku?”

“Oh,” He looked away nervously, “The Hollownest Agency.”

“Really? We were practically raised there, what more can we learn from Hornet and her bugs?”

Izuku blushed, “There’s a lot we probably didn’t learn!”

“Tch,” Katsuki shook his head, “You’re crazy, Deku. But at least I know I’ll end up being better than you by the end of this.”

The bus stopped, and they all got off the train station. Some of his classmates were going to rather faraway places, so they remained to go to the airport.

“Iida,” He stopped his friend again, before he went onto his train, “Seriously, you can talk to me. I know you’re about to go, but maybe… let’s at least have a phone call, yeah?”

Iida looked down at Izuku, smiling, “You worry about me too much Midoriya. I’m fine.”

“Iida.”

“I’m fine,” He insisted, still smiling, “I’ll see you later.”

He turned and went inside the station as Hornet walked to the remaining 4 students still outside. 

“Ah, how curious,” Hornet giggled, amused, “Three humans and a little bug.”

Izuku looked behind him, seeing Shoto and Hitoshi with Holly. His eyes went wide in surprise.

“Well, it’s rather known I don’t take humans much. You three have caught this Princess’s attention. Come along, we have much to do.” Hornet motioned for all of them to follow, and in silent regard to one another, the upcoming heroes did. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally I was going to have this chapter split into 2 parts, one with the beginning as Shinso enters the class and the next where everyone chooses their names. Then I thought, "Nah that's stupid, let's make it one big chapter."  
> So here you are. A nice, much longer chapter haha. Choosing names, concerns for poor Iida, talking about Quirks. May we begin our Hero Killer Arc! And boy, it's gonna JUICY. Mostly because I thrive off angst and there is going to be much angst with Iida. I mean I just killed his brother so of course haha. Can't wait for that to finish XD
> 
> I had quite a bit more deleted scenes here. Cut out Shinso fighting with Holly to a more subdued, lets-not-acknowledge-the-monster-in-the-room type of guy. Because he is acutely aware of the Shade's state, being exposed to it the way he did last chapter. Lucky me he seems to be a mostly chill guy, if not one who needs more sleep :D


	27. The Ways of a Spider

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hornet gets a feel for her interns Quirks, getting a more personal and intimate look at them all. Mr. Aizawa comes to return a favour, and planning for departure to hunt the Hero killer Stain begins.

They all followed her back to a different type of car, one much bigger than Izuku was used to. It was probably the agency’s actual vehicle, he realized, as he put his things in the trunk before climbing into the van. It surprised him even more to see that Hornet wasn’t the one driving, as she climbed into the back as well. It was more limo-like on the inside, he noticed, as they could all be facing each other. He sat between Holly and Shoto, watching as Hornet closed the door behind them. 

“Back to the agency, Driver,” She said, and Izuku heard it reply something in normal Bug.

“Now then,” She turned to her interns, “Three humans and a bug, it sounds almost like a joke,” Hornet giggled at them, “To my humans, you all three have shown exceptional skills that would be very useful. You don’t have to learn how to fight like a Bug, but it may suit you to know how Bugs fight.”

“Are we just going to be trained how to fight?” Hitoshi asked, “Not real hero work?”

Hornet smiled at them, unamused, “You are, little honorary spider. You’ve just transferred, and I would not put you in real danger without any skills in combat.”

“Honorary spider?”

“Do you know how your home room teacher fights? That is a spider’s way. For your Quirk, it would be immensely helpful.”

Hitoshi’s eyes wided, “You’re going to teach me how to fight like Mr. Aizawa?”

“I will teach you all how to optimize your Quirks,” Hornet nodded, “Mock battles and basic first aid. We have two days before we must go upon a dangerous mission.”

“For hero killer Stain, right?” Shoto asked, and Hornet nodded.

“We’ve gathered he takes about a week between his kills. He killed in Hosu during the festival, two days ago. Counting today, he will strike in two more. Like clockwork, never sooner or later. If we don’t find him, we’ll only have 1 more chance before he strikes again, and disappears to another city.”

“Isn’t it a little soon to be sending us to fight someone like that?” Izuku asked.

“Are you not Izuku Midoriya, the one who defeated a helped defeat a murderous villain in which he saw him turn to dust in front of his very eyes? Shall I toss you out of here, and you’d return to school in shame?” Hornet asked harshly.

“No ma’am,” Izuku said quickly, “I-I mean I am! I am! I don’t m-mean-”

“Steel your nerves, boy,” Hornet said, “You may be interns, but you’re my interns, and you chose the path of Bugs.”

_ She’s so much harsher when she’s being a hero _ , Izuku thought to himself,  _ But it makes sense. She chose us humans for a reason _ . Izuku nodded at her, fists clenching in determination, then in realization, _She's preparing me for when villains get under my skin!_

The car stopped, and Hornet opened the door. “Follow me, do not worry about your things. My assistants will get them.”

They climbed out, and Izuku took another look at the agency. The little rock was still there, and he saw Shoto touch it. It glowed beneath his palms. 

“Higher Beings, these words are for you alone,” Grimmchild spoke with surprising efficiency, “Cannot go on father, they are not for the likes of you.”

Shoto’s face went red, looking at the Grimmchild. “Father?”

The Grimmchild cuddled against him, and Hornet giggled, “Come along, you won’t ever be able to read that.”

They were buzzed in, and Hornet led them all to her office. Izuku had, admittedly, never been allowed in the office, despite how many times he was at the agency itself growing up. It was decorated like everyone expected it to be, with silk, pearly white furniture. There was a desk pushed to the end, overlooking everything. Behind that, there was a small mantle, which held a few pictures. One was of Hornet, All Might, and the Hollow Knight, all sitting together. The Hollow Knight was bigger than All Might. Izuku had heard he towered at 8 feet tall, lanky, and it looked like he took up more space, despite being so skinny. Another was of Holly, from before her Quick developed, in a bug’s cloak. Seeing the picture, Izuku realized that even back then, she was genderless. How’d he forget that? Izuku had somehow misremembered that she was still very bug-like, even then, and like most bugs, their gender couldn’t be identified so young.

The last one was of his homeroom teacher with Hornet. He recognized it as them teaming up, a rare moment for his teacher to even let the media take a picture. Mr. Aizawa was using his scarf like Hornet would use her webbing, eyes glowing brightly. Hornet’s own silk shined in the light as they were both captured jumping mid-air. Honestly, they both looked really epic. 

Hornet grabbed some papers at her desk as they stood by awkwardly, waiting for her.

“The Chatterbox Hero: Siren,” Hornet shuffled through, nodding, “Shoto. Simple. Deku? Another simple one.” He could tell that Hornet paused, looking at Holly’s, “The Ghost Hero Knight: Ghost.” Hornet cocked her head, “You’re no knight yet, Ghost. But I respect the ambition.”

Holly bowed her head.

“OK, you three,” Hornet nodded to them, “Well, despite the festival, I wish to get a better feel for your raw powers. No charms. Take them off now. I wish to see them up close. Ghost, I already know yours, but you three humans, let’s go.”

She let Shoto take away the Grimmchild before Hornet led them to the training room.

Izuku had never been in here either, never being allowed because of his Quirklessness. The floor was of simple stone, and there were three thrones overlooking the area, with what looked to be a destroyed forth one. The Mantis Lords weren’t there, probably out on patrol.

“Sit over there, you three. Siren, come here,” Hornet ordered.

“Are...we going to battle?” Hitoshi asked nervously as the rest of them climbed on the high thrones. There was an extremely good vantage point to watch from here, Izuku noticed, as Holly sat on the highest, middle throne, with Izuku and Shoto taking opposite sides.

“Gods, no,” Hornet reassured him, “You’d not last a second. No, use your Quirk on me.”

Izuku noticed how visibly relieved he looked.

“How old are you?” Hitoshi asked.

“Older than you’ll ever imagine,” Hornet replied, “I see, you must get them to respond to you?”

Hitoshi’s eyes went wide, “You…. your-”

“Do not fret, child,” Hornet walked to him and patted his shoulder. “I’m half a Higher Being, to capture my mind not even Radiance can accomplish. A beautiful attempt, for not even Radiance, a supposed God among us, could not sway me. In that sense, you are special.” Hitoshi smiled wide, looking proud. She put a claw over his throat, and turned him towards his watching peers, “You see your fellow humans? I’m going to feel how you do it as you capture their own minds.”

Izuku leaned forward, interested. He knew he was probably going to be hypnotized if he answered, but he wanted to help.

Hitoshi nodded. “Shoto, why’d you choose the Hollownest Agency?”

There was a pause, as if Shoto was trying to resist. But the answer came out of him, in an unwilling, strangled voice, “I did it because-” Shoto’s eyes went blank.

“Have him come here using his Quirk,” Hornet asked, carefully feeling Hitoshi’s throat.

“Make an ice slide here,” Hitoshi asked, and Shoto obeyed. He slid over, eyes blank, unseeing. Izuku could see that on the inside, he was screaming, struggling to break free.

“If you don’t order them, will they ever break free?” Hornet asked. 

“If you hit them hard enough, they’ll snap out of it.”

A pause. “Do the other one.”

Izuku knew she meant him as Hitoshi turned, “Why did you come here? I heard you grew up here in class.”

Izuku put his hands over his mouth, the urge to answer strong. He’d never wanted to answer something more in his entire life. There was a gutteral squeak that came out from his closed mouth, tears coming from his eyes as he resisted the hand that tried to pull out his voice.

The hand let go.

“Impressive,” Hornet said, “He may have an immunity, such is his will.”

“People normally answer automatically,” Hitoshi explained, “Bugs almost stumble in answering.”

“I’m not surprised,” Hornet nodded, “Release Shoto for me.”

Hitoshi blinked, and Shoto’s eyes cleared.

It felt like Todoroki had blinked, as he was next to Shinso, looking back at the overlooking thrones.

“Don’t fret Shoto,” Hornet said, “His voice is a powerful one. I will still need you as a volunteer. Siren, sing to him with your Quirk. It can be anything, just try putting him in a trance. Shoto, I want you to try and put a hand over his mouth to get him to stop.”

Both nodded, Hornet’s claws still around Shinso’s throat. 

“ _ Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are _ ,” Shinso sang, and Todoroki instantly felt sleepy, as if the hand that had pulled out his voice was instead soothing him.

“ _ Up above the world so high- _ ”

“You had to go for that one?” Shinso tried to run over, but it felt like he was moving through molasses.

“ _ I couldn’t think of anything else, so twinkle twinkle little bitch, I lost what the hell I was thinking about _ ,” Shinso sang, keeping the tune, “ _ Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb, who’s fleece was as white as snow _ .”

Shoto tried to move more, stumbling forward like he was drunk. His eyes were heavy. 

“Try singing about what you want him to do,” He could hear Hornet say, “Make him sit down.”

“ _ So with advice on my song, sit down criss cross applesauce, pocket’s on the floor _ ,” Shinso sang, “ _ And listen to my songs, listen to my Quirk, what the hell is this tune, oh well, listen, I promise you’re safe in my song.” _

Hornet stopped it before it got any further, putting a hand over Shinso’s mouth, and Todoroki snapped out of his sleepy trance. He realized that he was on the floor, and sitting exactly as he had been told.

“Looks like you made the other one sleepy as well,” Hornet pointed towards Midoriya, who had fallen asleep in his chair. Even Holly was slumped over, but her eyes were wide open as she sat back up straight.

“That’s powerful,” Shoto acknowledged, nodding his head.

“And good for crowd control,” Hornet said, releasing him, “You have a lot of work so you don’t make your allies fall, but it’s a good Quirk.”

Shinso bowed his head, rubbing his neck, “Thank you. Do you have some water?”

After Shinso was given a drink, it was Todorki’s turn. He froze the room, then melted it.

“Make me some icy dummies,” Hornet asked, “Make them human-shaped and as solid and cold as you possibly can. Deku, come here.”

Midoirya jumped down from his seat as Todoroki made several ice dummies.

“Smash them for me, Deku,” Hornet asked.

“OK,” Midoirya breathed in, green electricity sparking as the red marks sank into his skin. 

Out of the heat of battle and up close, Todoroki appreciated that his classmate glowed a beautifully soft green light. It was equally beautiful watching him almost gracefully smash the ice dummies he made, shattering the hardened ice with ease. He moved with almost a serene grace, moving as fast as a diving hawk, leaving behind him a tailed green glow as he moved. Todoroki wasn’t anywhere near gay, but he could appreciate the handsome display.

“Make one for me,” Hornet asked after Midoriya was done. Todoroki tapped his foot, and one appeared in front of Hornet. Her needle-like Nail appeared in her hands, and she struck it. Hornet let out a surprised trill, striking it a few more times before the hardened ice gave into her blows.

“Amazing,” Hornet nodded, “Melt the room for me, Shoto.”

Todoroki tapped his other foot, the ice becoming steam as he melted the room.

Hornet nodded, and despite the mask, Todoroki could tell she was smiling at them.

“You all have amazing Quirks. We’ll take a snack break, and I’ll brief you in our schedule for the next two days before we depart,” She motioned for them all to follow. Holly and Shinso jumped off of the thrones as they all followed her from the training room. Hornet took out her phone, and Todoroki caught a glimpse of a number.

“Hello,” Hornet’s voice was extremely soft and gentle, “I’m finally calling in that favour you owe me,” Hornet said, glancing at Shinso, letting out a laugh, “I’m glad you think so too. Come when you’re finished with that, then. I’ll let the receptionist know you’re coming.”

* * *

It had been years since Shota Aizawa had last been at the Hollownest Agency. He had just finished dropping off the last of the students at the airport, and was finally cleared to take off all those bandages. He enjoyed finally feeling the cool air on his face for the first time in weeks. That glowing stone was still there, he noticed, as he walked in.

“Eraser Head!” The receptionist exclaimed, “It’s been years. I could hardly believe Hornet when she said you’d be coming!”

Aizawa shrugged, but they buzzed him in anyway. He walked towards Hornet’s office, hearing her talk from within. He could also hear someone singing, although muffled, a tune that made him bob his head up and down. Without knocking, he opened the door, and stopped Hitoshi Shinso’s Quirk dead on its tracks.

“Eraser Head!” Hornet exclaimed, “I was wondering when you would come!”

Shinso’s eyes widened in surprise, as he now had his own scarf around him. It looked like an exact replica of Aizawa’s own.

“I missed you too,” Aizawa smiled at Hornet.

He could tell from under that mask that Hornet was concerned for him. Aizawa wasn’t surprised. There were three horrid scars over where his right eye used to be, and he wore an eyepatch. 

“Siren, excuse us for a moment. Go back to the resting room with your teammates,” Hornet ordered.

“Yes ma’am,” Shinso glanced at Aizawa once more, before hurrying out, closing the door behind him.

“You make everyone nervous,” Aizawa said, smiling, “He was a lot more tired this morning.”

Hornet walked over to him, reaching up to his face. Aizawa closed his eye, letting her run those claws over his face.

“Your eyes,” She said with great sadness.

“I can’t use my Quirk for as long,” He explained, “I’ve retained almost all of my vision, but that Nomu guy seriously fucked up my Quirk.”

Hornet put down her claws, looking pensive. Aizawa leaned down and gave the spider a hug. After a moment, Hornet returned the hug.

“I’d be foolish to say I didn’t miss you too,” She said. 

“I noticed you adopted,” Aizawa whispered into her ear.

“I didn’t have much of a choice with that one,” Hornet replied, nuzzling him.

Aizawa pulled away. “So she’s another Vessel then.”

Hornet sighed, “Unfortunately.”

Hornet walked over to one of the couches in her office, and sat cross legged on one. Aizawa sat next to her, looking at her with curiosity.

“You found another honorary spider.”

“I found perhaps a good slow down,” Hornet said, “He can sing people to sleep, as well as control them. Asking them questions seems to give him direct, and the most control. If it ever gets to the point it did all those years ago, perhaps one mind controlling the sleep cycles of another will stop that terrible spread. But yes, he’s an honorary spider.”

Aizawa nodded, “Well, I didn’t have much else to do for the next two days.”

Hornet smiled and let out a giggle, “Thank you for helping him learn the basics.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t be his teacher if I couldn’t teach him to fight.”

With almost hesitant shyness, Aizawa looked at Hornet. It’d been years since they were in a room alone together. Of course they would talk over the phone, about more formal things like his students, or, when he still took an occasional hero job and they ran into each other during a stealth mission. He’d notice their picture on the mantle. That was a huge drug bust they’d done together. That was 10 years ago, he realized. He also realized he missed the bugs and this agency. They were matter of fact, and not showy at all. Much more pleasant than human heroes, honestly. Aizawa never understood how Hornet could be such good friends with All Might, one of perhaps the most showy heroes there was. He...shouldn't have stayed away. Hornet clearly treated him exactly the same, but he did appreciate the space she gave him. Maybe her long life made her an excellent reader of humans.

Hornet leaned against him on the couch, and Aizawa’s eye widened in surprise.

“Being half Higher Being, I cannot age,” She told him, “If you ever want to try it again, I won’t refuse you.”

Aizawa sighed, putting an arm around Hornet. His heart ached.

“I have my students. They’ll be all I ever need for now. Thank you.”

Hornet nodded, “I understand, Shota Aizawa.”

An almost mutual, comfortable silence fell between the heroes. For a moment, Aizawa closed his only eye, and could hear the talk of his students from the vents. 

* * *

Shinso scrambled back to the break room, where his other new classmates were at. It was a much more simple room than the rest of the agency, looking a lot like the teacher’s lounge at school. They were all eating little sandwiches that had been prepared at a simple, foldable table.

“Oh, you got a scarf like Mr. Aizawa!” Midoriya exclaimed.

Shinso gripped the new capture weapon around him. It was comfortable, not too hot or cold. He nodded.

“It’s a charm, actually,” Shinso explained, “There will always be enough of the scarf to use.”

“That makes sense,” Todoroki said, his Grimmchild suckling on the flames from his hands, “He never seemed to run out of that thing.”

“Where’s Hornet?” Holly asked him.

Shinso shuddered a bit when she spoke. “Mr. Aizawa’s actually here! They needed to talk.”

All three looked at him, surprised.

“I knew they used to work together, but I didn’t know that Mr. Aizawa’s agency was this one!” Midoriya said, a hand on his chin as he thought.

“The way he fights is like Hornet,” Holly said, “One of the few humans to ever be honored to be taught how to fight like a spider.”

“Isn’t he the only human to fight like a spider?” Todoroki asked as Shinso went to sit down with them.

Midoriya nodded eagerly, “He is! At least that we know of! Half breeds don’t count, since they’re still half-spider.”

“Well, now it’s me,” Shinso looked at the scarf, “It might take me a bit to get used to. I guess she called Mr. Aizawa to train me.”

Todoroki wondered what they were talking about when the two heroes walked into the room. Mr. Aizawa had taken off his bandages and wore an eye patch where his eye used to be. His face still had fading yellow and brown bruises from his ordeal.

“The schedule, interns,” Hornet said, “You all know Eraser Head. We’ve worked together many times in the past. For the next two days, he will be teaching Siren the ways of the spider as you other three fight him in the mornings. In the afternoons, basic medical training on and off the field. After, if I think you’re ready, you’ll come with me to arrest Stain. Otherwise, you’ll stay here and learn how patrols work and stay with the Mantis Lords and Mato. Questions?”

“No ma’am,” they all said. 

Hornet nodded, “Good. Take the rest of the day to unpack and become familiar. Ghost, when they've had their fill, show them to the living quarters. This is your agency, my little heroes, and you will live here, so get comfortable. Me and Eraser Head will be available in my office doing the most boring part of this job: paperwork.”

Thei homeroom teacher smirked at them, his eye glowing. He looked… eager. More eager than he ever had been in class for the past few weeks, and much more alive.

The humans in the group had a feeling they’d be having it rough for the next few days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hornet and Aizawa having chemistry was nooooot planned, but with the plans I had with Aizawa in the future.... well, guess in the comments to see what happened between them based on the canon of both series, haha XD Or just from the dialog and how they act, haha XD
> 
> There's going to be a quick training montage next chapter before we jump to Hosu City and check in on Iida. I'm not going to ultra detail on the montage, it's a montage after all! A good opening before we get into the Iida angst & what the hell the League's been doing this whole time. Besides, this chapter is really long already. So here we go! :D


	28. Preparing for Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The interns train at the Hollownest Agency, learning the hard way about the ruthlessness of bugs. Meanwhile, The League of Villains try to recruit Stain. It doesn't go as smoothly as they wanted. Stain, set in his ways, declines the offer. As he is about to make his next kill, the Hero Killer encounters a child seeking trouble.

“So you’re patrolling to suppress street crimes?” Iida asked the hero as they walked on patrol.

“Yeah, with the Hero Killer Stain running around, it also helps civilians feel more comfortable,” the pro hero replied as they walked around.

It made sense, Iida thought, looking around as they passed civilians. They would want to keep the peace, since Stain was likely still in the city somewhere hiding. He had to track Stain down. Iida couldn’t ever forgive him for killing his brother.

* * *

Izuku dodged another attack from the first Mantis Lord, but she disappeared once again. 

“Come along boy, and I’m not even using my weapons,” she taunted, too fast for his eyes to see, “Hit me with a smash.”

Izuku dodged again. Their attacks weren’t hurting, but it was still enough to distract him from using his power. 

“You think too much!” The Mantis Lord hit him again, “I saw the festival! You need a second to power up! Villains with my speed won’t let you have a single breath!”

Holly and Shoto had made it look so damn easy battling them that he’d underestimated them. Frantically he moved, but stopped short from the spikes. The Mantis Lord appeared and he jumped onto the wall of the arena, clinging to it. 

“This is not an animal that comes when you call!” The Mantis Lord chided him, “It’s always there, no on and off switch, boy!”

One for All hummed, but not enough power to hit her. Izuku jumped from the wall and collided with the Mantis Lord, then smacked their mask using his Quirk.

“Better, better,” The Mantis Lord encouraged, then clawed his neck hard enough to draw blood, “If this was real, and I had a weapon, your throat is slit. You’re now dead. And only one hit on me!”

Izuku dropped to the ground and tried to stop the blood flow of the deepest cut she had given him. His body wanted to panic, but mentally he knew it wasn't going to seriously harm. Still, it was extremely uncomfortable to be bleeding from the neck like this.

“To the infirmary with you. You’re better than last evening, boy,” The Mantis Lord nodded. Izuku nodded as the spiked floors turned back to normal.

The Mantis Lords had been training them all individually for the past day and a half, pushing them to use their Quirks on elusive speedsters without causing damage to the room. Izuku was struggling, since they were right. A fast opponent never gave him an opportunity to power up.

His feet felt like lead as he trudged to the infirmary, where Holly and Hornet where. Hornet was giving Holly anatomy lessons about different wounds and how to treat them, and the boys were all test subjects whenever the Mantis Lords injured them well enough.

Shoto was already there in a bed, getting a bandage on his arm wrapped by Holly. He crawled into the next infirmary bed.

“Deku!” Holly cried. Hornet let out a noise of disapproval at the sight of his neck as Holly licked it clean.

He felt her begin to sew his bleeding neck back together, noise suddenly cancelled out by the sheer pleasure it was to have her licking him. He let out a pleasured scream as she kissed it and the wound sewed itself back together, the threads dissolving. 

“We need to know if that happens with females too,” He could now hear Hornet say.

“I would say yes,” Holly replied.

Izuku’s neck beat as he felt Hornet’s silk wrap around his arms, the healing threads like soothing water on a hot day.

“You are probably right,” Hornet sighed, “At least it’s better than the stamina depletion from Recovery Girl.”

Izuku opened his eyes as he saw Hornet’s webs weave around his legs, healing the bruises he’d gotten. He turned to see Holly licking Shoto’s cheek. He had a hand over his mouth, but Izuku didn’t miss the fact that he had let out a stifled moan.

“They’re getting too rough,” Hornet shook her head, “How are you doing out there, Deku?”

“I’ve managed to land at least one hit.” He confessed.

Shoto laughed, “One?”

“Oh? And how many did you land? You have Grimmchild helping you out! I don’t have a Charm to my name.”

“Personally, more than one,” Shoto smirked, “Grimmchild’s aim is currently trash, so it’s been basically me.”

Hitoshi was dragged in by Mr. Aizawa. He looked worse than Izuku was when he came in.

The bugs began to work on him, Hornet giving instructions to Holly on how to best heal abrasions and lacerations on him. 

“Well, it’s good to know we’ll have two healers with us at least,” Izuku sighed, rubbing his neck.

“We shouldn’t be too reliable on them,” Shoto said as Hitoshi was becoming conscious again, “They can’t heal deep punctures or avulsions. The Mantis Lords have only been giving us lacerations in place of where their actual weapons would pierce us.”

Izuku sighed. He was right on that. They could only do so much for those that weren’t themselves. Holly could heal herself completely, even being stabbed through the stomach, as he was shown yesterday to a horrifying display.

But despite how injured he got, it was helping. Finally landing a hit, and getting his power to come immediately. 

“Ice, Shoto, I need ice!” Hornet called, and Shoto, despite still being injured, jumped from the bed and began to apply ice on Hitoshi’s body for them.

Hitoshi stirred, then shuddered at the bug’s healing powers, as well as the chill of the ice. He sat up, blinking lazily.

“He’s getting the hang of it,” Mr. Aizawa acknowledged, “He fell into one of those spike pits.”

“I again ask why you insist on having spiked floors,” Shoto said, applying ice to help reduce swelling as the pair healed the more urgent parts of him.

“Battlefield awareness! Not everyone has it naturally.” Hornet replied, “If you’re so cocky, you can try to take me on again, no spikes.”

Shoto’s eyes widened as he shook his head. Izuku let out a snort.

“If we had time I would test you both!” Hornet told them both. “Thank you Eraser Head. I think we’ll call it for the day. It’s getting late.”

Mr. Aizawa nodded at everyone, and left.

“When he wakes up we’ll have a meeting on who I take to Hosu City. Those who stay will train with Mato and the other Mantis Lords.” Hornet said.

“Yes ma’am,” they all repeated as Hitoshi let out a grunt.

* * *

An hour later, they were all in Hornet’s office as Hornet went through what the Mantis Lords and Eraser Head had given them.

“Well, you all have improved the last day and a half,” Hornet acknowledged, “Siren, you’re staying here, however. You don’t have enough battlefield awareness, and I will not risk you dying as we hunt for a literal killer.”

Shinso bowed, nodding, “I’m sorry I couldn’t be up to par.”

“Don’t apologize child,” Hornet said sympathetically, “You are talented, and you have a good grasp on the basics of the ways of a spider, but you need more training. You’ll learn the basics about patrols and more battles here. Although, I am forbidding you from training more with the Mantis Lords. They will cut you to ribbons.”

“Wouldn’t bringing him with us give him that experience?” Deku asked her, confused.

“It would, but it could also get him killed,” Hornet said, “There’s a difference. One, where no one will kill him, and another where one mistake and you’re a breath away with your throat slit. I’m not a fool, Deku, and you have to trust my judgement as a pro hero.”

Deku nodded and looked at Shinso.

“Alright, pack up your bags. To Hosu we go,” Hornet trilled, “I expect you all up front in 10. Go, now!”

The interns walked out.

“Siren,” Hornet stopped him, walking from behind her desk, and putting a claw on his shoulder.

“Yes?” Hornet didn’t miss the hurt in the boy’s voice.

“You’re an amazing natural fighter. I don’t think you’re a weakling. You’re just not ready yet, and I will not send out someone so strong only to possibly lose them.”

He nodded.

Hornet put a hand under Siren's chin, making him look her in the eyes, “You’re a good fighter, and a good hero, OK? Worthy to learn the rare style of the spider’s way.”

His eyes welled in tears, “Thank you.”

Hornet smiled and hugged him, “Thank you for your help.”

_ **Hosu City, Hours Later** _

“I get it,” Stain said, “You must be the ones who attacked UA. And you wanna recruit me to build up your group again.”

Shigaraki nodded, “Yeah, it’ll be great. And you’ve got so much experience.”

“And what’s your mission?”

“Right now? I just want to kill anything that pisses me off,” He held up a picture of Izuku Midoriya, “And break All Might, before killing him. We suspect this brat is his heir.”

Through Kurogiri, Radiance looked on with interest at the villainous humans. Stain was taking out his knives, disgusted by Shigaraki’s propositions.

They looked at the screen. 

“Let him learn, he must mature, my Lady,” he spoke directly to Radiance.

“She agrees with you, master,” Kurogiri said on her behalf.

“I was a fool to think you could offer me anything,” Stain spat at them, “It turns out you’re the person I hate most in this world. You want me to join your crumbling little league. But you won’t accomplish anything without conviction and desire.”

Faster than he could react, Stain’s knives had buried themselves in Shigaraki’s shoulder, while the other one was by his face. Kurogiri had a sudden cut on his shoulder, causing Radiance watching to give a small, but amused cry of surprise.

“That’s how you ended up here.”

Shigaraki grunted in surprise, “Hey now, you’re being a little rough, aren’t you? Kurogiri, take this guy back.”

“I can’t. It must be the hero killer’s Quirk!”

“The word ‘hero’ has lost all meaning to both bug and human society,” Stain said, “Overrun by fakes and criminals like you who chase petty dreams,” He plunged the other blade towards his face, but Shigaraki caught it.

“Conviction? Maybe I don’t have something quite like that,” Shigaraki replied as the blade began to turn to dust, “If I had to choose one, however, it would be breaking All Might’s will, then delivering him to the Radiance to use. Or just to kill him. I want to upturn this society and make a new, better one.”

Stain jumped back as Shigaraki swiped at him.

“My wounds were just about healing and now this,” He pointed at his shoulder, “We don’t have a healer in our party, you know.”

“It seems like our views oppose each other, but align at the same time,” Stain said, “We both agree this society is rotten.”

“I’m over this,” Shigaraki waved a hand, “Leave. Drop dead. I’m the person you hate most, right?”

Stain sheathed his knife, “I was testing your motives. People always show their true colors when they’re on the verge of death. There is a warped conviction inside you then. How will it bloom in the end, I wonder?” He held out his hands, as if offering a hug, “If you don’t turn out well, I can always come back and take care of you later.”

“You think you can get rid of me?” Shigaraki put a hand on his bleeding shoulder, standing up, “Kurogiri, someone as nuts as this will only be a problem for the League of Villains.”

“Perhaps reconsider,” Kurogiri said, knowing Radiance and his master were watching them, “This man will be a great asset if he joins us. I’d say this was a success.”

“My business here is done,” Stain said, “Now, you will return me to Hosu.” He licked his lips, “There are still many false heroes I must attend to there.”

Kurogiri opened a warp gate. Stain walked through, not glancing back, as he was deposited on a rooftop. The sun was beginning to set, casting beautiful purples and pinks through the sky.

“Hosu City looks nicer than I expected,” Shigaraki said unpleasantly, walking out from behind another warp gate with Kurogiri, “So, what are you going to do?”

Tongue halfway out of his mouth, Stain replied, “I will reform it. In order to do so, blood must spill.”

“The Lady would like to acknowledge your clear goal, as she finds your dedication admirable,” Kuogiri said.

Stain chuckled, “You’re controlled by Radiance, aren’t you? The Higher Being that supposedly fell from grace. That means nothing to me, to be acknowledged by a false goddess.”

“Not quite so,” Kuogiri said, “She can look through my eyes, and power up my Quirk, making it stronger. She is still mostly imprisoned by the Hollow Knight. But, it’s not too late to take her offer, and become one with Radiance.”

Stain seemed to consider this for a moment, “ I would prefer my goals not be muddled by the will of a false one.” He stood, crying out to the sky, “Hero is a title reserved for the champions! This city is full of falsehoods. All they care about is money and fame! Until this world realizes its mistakes, I will continue my work, alone, Radiance.” 

Stain leapt off the roof as Shigaraki huffed.

“You offer him to be part of you, but not me?” He asked directly.

“The Radiance wants you to prove yourself more, and convert more to our side. It’s more appealing to other humans that way,” Kuogiri replied, and Shigaraki sighed in frustration, as if he’d been told this a million times.

“Fine, bring out the Nomus,” he ordered.

Purple-black gates appeared as Nomus began to file out. A winged Nomu, a huge, blue Nomu, and a huge, black, muscular Nomu.

“You think you can get away with stabbing me? When I get tired of you, I’ll kill you. Whenever I feel like it. Just like that, Stain,” Shigaraki said to the disappearing Hero Killer, then he laughed at the sight of the Nomus, “But let’s make it more interesting. How about I crush your honor and pride first? What do you say, big, bad, hero killer?”

* * *

The foursome had arrived in Hosu City by train, and Hornet took a moment to equip a charm of her own at a bench. 

“Weaverlings!” Izuku cried as a few of the little spiders chattered at him.

“I normally leave these at home, but today I thought to summon some old friends,” Hornet said as Weaverlings crawled onto everyone’s shoulder respectively.

“What will they do?” Shoto asked curiously, then tapped on his other shoulder, to the radio Hornet had given him, “We already have radios.”

“An added layer of protection. Perhaps the Hero Killer is a much bigger arachnophobe than one would think,” Hornet shrugged, “It looks like that one and Grimmchild have taken a liking to each other.”

The Grimmchild cooed at the Weaverling as all four began to walk from the station. 

“All right, we split now. Ghost, with me to the roofs. Shoto and Deku, we will watch above.” 

The boys nodded as the bugs quickly flew up.

Izuku smiled at Shoto as they seemed to pick a random direction to begin walking, unsure of what to do. 

“Your hero costume changed,” Izuku said nervously, trying to break the silence.

Shoto looked down at himself, to the deep black costume with hot red cuffs that could shimmer into hot pink if you looked at it in a certain way. He had a small, beige utility belt that had a basic first aid kit. 

“Yeah,” Shoto nodded, “It’s supposed to help me with both sides of my Quirk.”

“It looks really awesome!”

“Thanks. The Grimm Troupe helped my designers re-work it apparently. Yours changed too.”

Izuku let out a nervous laugh at the latest version of his costume, “Yeah, my designer didn’t even ask if I wanted it changed. It does look a little cooler though.”

There was an explosion from above them, and both boys looked up. Hornet had fallen from the sky hissing, before rolling backwards.

“Nomu!” Izuku cried, as the beast landed where Hornet was just a moment before. It’s big, black body was easily twice that of the one that attacked them at school, it’s half open mouth letting out an ear-piercing screech.

As quick as it had begun, Hornet had the Nomu tangled within her webs. The silk spun quickly as she wrapped it up like a fly when Holly landed beside the boys. In another blink, the Nomu was completely covered in the web, looking like a fly ready for Hornet's dinner.

In the distance, there was an explosion.

“Change of plans, interns,” Hornet glanced towards the explosions, “We must investigate the explosions, quickly, people will need to be rescued!”

“What about this Nomu?” Todoroki asked.

Hornet let out a giggle, “A spider’s silk is easily twice as strong as steel, and that’s a normal, everyday spider. My silk is easily as many times as that,” She pointed at the Nomu, who struggled against its restraints, “That thing will not be escaping anytime soon. Come on!” Hornet turned, and they all ran towards the explosions. 

Izuku glanced once more at the Nomu, who seemed so easily bested. 

“Come on Deku!” Shoto shouted at him, and he began to run after them. 

There was another explosion in the distance, but over the screams, in the alley he was about to pass, he heard a familiar scream.

Izuku paused, glanced down the alley, then at everyone who so quickly disappeared. There was someone screaming desperately for help, their voice mangled, but clear. They sounded so...familiar, yet not.

One for All powered him up as he dashed down the dark ally to investigate who the hell was screaming. It probably was related to this.

* * *

_** 10 Minutes Earlier ** _

Iida heard the explosion, saw it in the distance. 

“We’re running now! Stay on me!” The pro hero he was working with cried, and Iida kept pace with him. 

Was this Stain’s doing? No, this was too flashy for that murderer! This was something completely different. Who would be doing something like this? A villain, of course.

But he paused at a dark alley. What was that movement down there? 

Hatred and the need for revenge fueled Iida as he disobeyed orders and ran down this dark alleyway, away from the lights and safety, towards the danger within.

Stain let out a disgruntled noise from the distance. “That idiot’s making a move. And he’s so noisy. I’ll have to dispose of him later. At the moment, I have important work to finish here.”

He turned to the hero called Native, who he was holding by the face. He’d already stabbed this false hero, and he was bleeding from the shoulder.

“My body…. I can’t move,” He said though Stain’s hand, eyes wide with obvious fear, “You bastard, I-I’ll kill you!”

“If you call yourself a hero,” Stain raised his sword to Native's neck, “You should choose your final words with care.”

In the corner of his eyes, he saw someone running towards him. With a swift strike, Stain hit him backwards, making the assaulter hit the ground. His helmet and glasses had fallen off, and Stain’s eyes widened in small surprise.

“A child wearing a suit. Who are you?”

The child glared at him, gasping. Stain could see the hate in his eyes.

“Run, run away from here. This is not a place for children,” Stain instructed him.

The child sat up, glaring at Stain as he shoved back on his glasses. “You’re carrying blades all over your body, and you’re wearing a blood-red scarf. You must be the Hero Killer Stain!” The child was squatting now as Stain squinted at him, “It’s you, right?!” The utter hate in the boys eyes only grew as he growled, “I’ve been looking for you, but I didn’t think I’d find you so soon. I am-”

Stain pointed his sword in the child’s face, “Your eyes are searing with vengeance. Be careful with what you say next. If need be, even someone your age may become my target.”

His fists shook, voice cracking “Are you saying that I’m not even a threat to you?” He stared down Stain’s blade, looking him in the eyes, “You listen to me, criminal! I am the brother of an incredible hero who you attacked,” The boy began slowly standing up, “He was the best older brother that anyone could have ever hoped for, and you killed him in cold blood!” The boy now stood tall, “I have come to stop you, because he can’t anymore! You’re going to remember my name for as long as you live! I am Ingenium, and I will defeat you. That, I promise!”

Stain swiped his blade on the boy’s nose, cutting him slightly, “Then so be it,” Stain licked the blood off, “Die.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writer's block is a bitch. It's why it took me so long to get this chapter done. In the meantime, I wrote another story to help break it. And now that it's nice and broken, here's not my best work but something I can say is the OK-est chapter that I can post. Now that literally the hardest chapter to write is done, let's get to some more action! Which will now be easier for me to write since I'm finally DONE with this one.  
> Seriously  
> Why was this chapter so hard to write. I don't know.
> 
> Also you may have noticed I took off the rape/non-con tags. That's cuz a rape scene I had planned for later chapters I decided to remove in favour of a different scene that felt better narratively. I'll add it back on in case I ever decide to put it back in. I also need to update the description of the preview that gets people interested in the story, haha XD  
> Annnnnnnnd Weaverlings. Ah, those adorable wittle spiders. Grimmchild and Weaverlings getting along is probably the cutest part of this entire thing.
> 
> Todoroki's costume changed from his canon one, to which it's now black instead of blue with hot red. (I mean you also read about it smh) he's slowly becoming more into the Grimm Troupe. It's only been 3 days technically.  
> Ahhh so precious still, a change of environment can do wonders to your soul. As seen: Costume change haha XD  
> Izuku is now on the second version of his costume too, as seen in the anime at this point. :3  
> We haven't seen Shinso's costume yet, since they all haven't worn their hero costumes while training. However, we will eventually. For now, just cute scarf :3


	29. Facing the Hero Killer Stain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A deadly battle begins! Stain shows no mercy, but the training with the Mantis Lords proves helpful. It ends with something no one expected coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Gore. Action and gore. But a lot of gore and bleeding!

Iida found himself hitting the flood again. He couldn’t move a single muscle, his body suddenly paralyzed.

“You’re weak like your brother,” Stain said as Iida felt himself being stabbed in the shoulder, “You’re both false heroes. I let him live long enough to tell the world about my mission. And now the world will know about those who seek retribution under the guise of ‘hero’,” Stain stabbed his other shoulder, and Iida let out a squeak of pain. He found that his mouth was slowly regaining its ability to move.

“Tensei was a splendid hero,” Iida gasped, trying to move his head to look Stain in the eyes, but found he couldn’t, “I’ll-I’ll kill you!”

“You should be really thinking about the other hero,” Stain replied coolly, “Truely, you are no hero. Only thinking about revenge, and not saving the guy I was about to kill.” Iida felt himself being stabbed again, letting out an agonized cry as Stain went on, “Seeking revenge just to satisfy one's selfish desires is the furthest thing from what a hero should be. That’s why you’ll die tonight, as my offering for a more just world.”

“You’re a villain,” Iida spat.

He felt Stain stab the back of his knees, and the pain was more intense this time. He let out a scream as he felt himself being stabbed again and again, bleeding out.

A flying green ball of electricity caught the corner of his eyes as Iida saw Midoriya come and punch away Stain before he could finally be killed.

Izuku knew that Stain would have to be somewhere around here. Stain would be striking tonight, and of course he would be going in the alleys.

What he didn’t expect was Iida to be there as he punched Stain in the face with One for All.

“Iida!” He cried out in surprise, “Are you OK?”

"I can’t move, ever since he cut me” Iida replied, “Leave me here Midoriya!”

Izuku looked at the other injured hero next to him. He couldn’t carry them both out, not with Iida bleeding out the way he was. He barely dodged the blade Stain threw, but it hit the radio he could use to call for help. His Weaverling hissed and flew forward, only to die a second later as Stain cut it away.

His Quirk probably activates when he cuts someone, Izuku thought, looking at the killer.

“Leave, child,” Stain said as Izuku had a hand behind his back. He took out his cell phone and began to text out his location to anyone and everyone on his contact list. “It’s my duty to kill this false hero, and if you get in my way, the weaker of you both will be culled tonight.”

“Please Midoriya, don’t get involved!” Iida’s voice was hitched in madness, probably from the blood loss.

“The essence of being a hero is meddling where they don't have to!” Izuku replied, hitting send, “I’ll protect you both! It’s my duty as a hero!”

Stain gave him a look, and his face changed. He probably recognized them from the Sports Festival, Izuku thought, re-pocketing his phone.

Izuku closed the distance between them. Stain tried to slash him with his sword, but the last few days' training let Izuku dodge the blade easily. Stain tried to stab him using a knife from the other hand, but Izuku slid between his legs and punched him in the back. Stain swung his katana in a swift turn, but Izuku jumped up.

“DETROIT SMASH!” Izuku yelled, and wind blew from the force, blowing Stain backwards.

But in that instance, Izuku hadn’t realized he had a small cut on his knuckles, as Stain lovingly licked his blade.

 _His Quick activates by blood!_ Izuku thought in horror, dropping to the ground.

“Impressive,” Stain told him, kneeling down and forcing Izuku to look him in the eyes, “Your conviction is of a true hero. You tried to protect these false heroes, and didn’t even hesitate going against someone so much more skilled. You deserve to live.”

Izuku let out a single, muffled grunt, his mouth unable to move, as the hero killer poured something over his cut. The cut burned, and Izuku recognoized sting of hydrogen peroxide. It made his blood curl, how much he was taking his time. When would the others come? Where was his backup?

Stain let him go, and Izuku found he couldn’t even shake. But his mouth regained the ability to move, slowly, so he let out a strangled, gasping cry as he slowly regained the vocal cords.

 _No_ , He thought, watching the Killer Stain approach Iida again to stab him, _He’s my friend. I can’t… I don’t want to lose another one of them..._

“Stop,” was his strangled whimper, “Don’t hurt them!”

“Nothing personal kid,” The Hero Killer said, raising his sword.

A burst of flames made Stain drop his weapon as he hissed. The familiar cries of Grimmchild finally hitting his mark made Izuku smile.

Shoto stepped into the light, his own flames filling the dark alleyway with light. 

Shoto didn’t even notice his classmate wasn’t at his side anymore. Nomus were attacking civilians without discrimination, and he almost threw up at the sight of one ripping a person in half. Their blood spilled onto the streets as the Nomu discarded their body, charging at someone else to do the same.

Hornet jumped on that Nomu as Shoto turned his eyes to the flying Nomu, who was picking up and dropping people from deadly heights. He jumped up, catching a civilian, as Grimmchild spat little balls of flames at the Nomu.

“You’re safe now, run!” Shoto informed the screaming civilian, who took off, away from the chaos. 

Shoto was grabbed by the flying Nomu, and he used both his sides to get the Nomu to drop him. It let out a screech, its legs falling off from his ice. Shoto rolled on the ground and looked up. The flying Nomu had already disappeared into the sky.

Hornet had the other Nomu, weaving webs around it. It screamed as it became stuck. Holly was evacuating nearby people, and Shoto helped by setting up a parameter of ice around the rampaging creature. The other pro heroes marveled at the work, and how quickly Hornet snagged up the creature. With a flick of her needle Hornet trapped the bigger Nomu. It fell to the ground, completely bound in webbing, screaming.

“Where is the other one?” Hornet asked, looking around.

“It flew away,” Shoto told her. 

“Where’s Deku?”

His phone buzzed in his pocket as if to answer. He took it out.

“That was just him!” He exclaimed, “He just sent us a location.”

“Either that Nomu took off with him, or Deku’s found our killer,” Hornet replied, now taking out her phone to see where, “You can teleport with that Grimmchild, can’t you? Get over there and assist him!”

“Yes ma’am,” Shoto looked at the Grimmchild, a bit unsure. He snapped his fingers, thinking of where Deku was.

In a burst of flames, Shoto found himself in an alleyway.

“Closest I could come,” Grimmchild cooed.

Shoto began to skate down the alleyway, figuring that Grimmchild could only teleport him so close to danger. He could see the Hero Killer, and Grimmchild spat out a fireball, hitting him in the hand. He lit up the scene with his flames to get a better view on what was going on.

“Why did you go off without us?” He scolded Deku, who was on the ground. He noticed Iida was bleeding out heavily, and another pro hero. He didn’t look as injured as Iida, who he didn’t expect to be here. “Don’t worry, backup is coming.”

“Don’t let him ingest your blood!” Deku cried out as Stain threw a knife in his direction.

Shoto dodged, but not before noticing his cheek getting cut open, bleeding freely. He caterized his own wound as the Killer leapt towards him.

Throwing up a wall of ice, Shoto dodged the incoming katana. Grimmchild alerted him of where Stain was by his screech, throwing another fireball. Shoto felt himself being grabbed, and he lit himself on fire before the killer could lick his wound.

Stain grabbed his katana from the ground, “You’re strong, for a child.”

“Todoroki, please leave! Stop! I inherited Ingenium’s name, only I should stop him!” Iida said, as Shoto stepped back.

“Ingenium never had that look of vengeance plastered all over his face,” Shoto spat, throwing another wall of ice.

Stain slashed threw the ice, “It’s foolish to block your view of your opponent!” He stabbed Shoto’s left arm, and he cried out in pain. 

Grimmchild threw himself upon the Killer, and Stain let out a cry as his view was blocked by an enraged baby.

Deku suddenly jumped up and tackled down the Hero Killer.

“His Quirk has a time limit, then,” Shoto said as Deku leapt away.

“He was the last one who got hit,” The wounded pro hero stated weakly.

“It must be by blood type,” Deku replied, standing by Shoto, “Take care of their injuries, I can hold him off for you!”

Shoto shook his head, “No, I can hold him, you should-”

“You both should tend to those injuries of your fellows!” Hornet’s sharp cry came as she leapt down in front of the pair, brandishing her Needle in a challenging pose, “I’ll deal with him.”

Stain smiled wide, “It’s rather eventful when a real hero, and the daughter of a real God comes out to play. I’m honored.”

“Murder, and defiling corpses,” Hornet’s gaze was so sharp it could cut through the soul, “You’re under arrest, Hero Killer Stain. Surrender now.”

Stain held out his katana and took out another, “A spider and a Higher Being. I’m not scared of you. You may be a true hero, but you’re going to die here.”

“Your threats are worthless. If you are to be my foe, cease this prattle and raise your blades!”

Stain leapt forward, first katana ready to strike, and Hornet parried with her Needle. Thin strands appeared behind her as the Weavelings crawled on new webs of their making. 

The boys realized that she was protecting them as Shoto ran to Iida. His face was pale and sweaty. His shoulders were bleeding heavily and Shoto took out his most basic first aid as Deku went to the other hero.

“Here,” He said, bringing some of his water to Iida’s lips, “You need some more fluids.”

Iida reluctantly drank. “You should take care of your own arm first.”

Shoto looked at the bleeding appendage he’d frozen, “You’re more critical.”

He started to stuff bandages inside of Iida’s stab wounds. They were quickly filled, but the bleeding was slowing down. He iced them shut as a temporary means to save him. He’d melt them out later, but for now, he’d need to stop the blood. At least Iida was somehow still conscious. 

“I visited my mom after the festival Iida,” Shoto said, trying to keep his focus away from the ongoing battle, “First time in years, actually. It's no secret dad’s a royal prick. But after talking to my mom, I realized she’d forgiven him. Forgive them, but not forget. You’ll forget the lesson, if you forgive _and_ forget,” He turned Iida’s head to look him in the eyes, “I’ve got one final thing to say to you. My point is, never forget who you want to become. I want to become a hero, not a vengeful monster. You should aim to do the same, Iida.”

He glanced up. Hornet was dancing around Stain with grace, dodging his swipes to cut her. They didn’t speak as metal hit metal, a duel until better backup arrived. Shoto could barely see a faint web, made and maintained by Weaverlings every time Stain slashed the web. A spider’s trap, for when the fly landed in there completely. Already there was a single sword suspended in mid-air, wrapped so thoroughly by the Weaverlings it was more of a bat. They carried it to the side, as Hornet pressured Stain ever so slowly closer to the web.

“Deku, is he going to be OK?” Shoto asked, tentatively lifting Iida from one of his armpits to carry him away.

“He’s stable!” Deku confirmed, carrying the man easily.

Iida seemed to support his own weight, lifting his head to glare at the battlers.

“Come on,” Shoto encouraged, “We have to go, Iida.”

Iida growled. He stood on shaky legs. Shoto could still see the murder in his eyes.

"You're right when you say I'm not a true hero," He heard Iida mutter, "But I can't give up like this. Or else the name of Ingenium will die."

"You're hurt," Shoto began to turn him away, "That name won't die."

"I'm sorry for getting you involved in my fight."

He didn’t expect what was next. Iida shoved him away, his Quirk activating as Iida launched himself headlong into the fight. Hornet let out an attack that let her webs spin freely in a deadly way, and Stain was slashing downward to counter it. The webs of the Weaverlings caught Iida, flipping his jump and turning him upside down mid-air as he continued his trajectory forward, too fast for the webs to slow completely.

It was like the world was going into slow motion.

“Iida don’t!” Deku screamed, but it was too late. 

**_SCREE-SPLAT!_ **

Stain’s blade hit a new mark, severing Iida’s leg off haphazardly, the blade breaking, where it landed in Hornet’s attack, shredding it into ground beef and torn metal. The blood splattered onto everyone in a fine, red mist of shrapnel and bone.

It was as if the world froze for a second, holding its breath in shock. 

Iida screamed.

The world resumed as Ghost now dropped down, last to the party, striking Stain so hard in the head from her surprise attack that he dropped like a rock.

Hornet let out another hiss, the Weaverlings responding. With their help they tied up Stain as Shoto ran to Iida, his screams dying as he finally passed out.

“No saving that limb!” Hornet called, “Cauterize it! I shredded it to bits!” 

Shoto obeyed, quickly applying his fire. With the fire he made a much neater cut right above what used to be Iida’s knee. A clean burn through the bone and metal in his limbs. The flesh hissed as the metal melted, a disgusting combination that left Shoto thinking of a meat grinder. Iida's leg injury looked "prettier" but was still a sight that made him queasy. 

“Is he still alive?” Ghost asked, and Shoto grabbed one of Iida’s wrists. A very faint heartbeat, but a heartbeat still.

“Surprisingly,” Shoto replied.

The hero who was Stain’s next victim stood taller under Deku’s hold, “Stupid kid. Is he one of yours, Hornet?”

“I would not even extend my hand to such a wrathful human,” Hornet sighed.

“H-hey Ghost,” Deku asked nervously, “What took you so long to get here?”

“I healed some of the more critical humans and gave the police our location, as Hornet asked of me,” Ghost replied, “We should take everyone there.”

Speaking of the devils, Shoto thought, watching as police and medics began to arrive. Everyone began to exit the alleyway, Hornet dragging the Hero Killer, who remained silent. Iida was getting carried away on a stretcher.

“Let this be a lesson interns,” Hornet said, “Do not let revenge clog your hearts so much that it leads to such foolish decisions. Deku, while this was our main mission, next time you call while you investigate! You are lucky you didn’t die!” Hornet threw the killer towards the police. “Here’s your Hero Killer. May your system put him to justice.”

“Thank you, Princess,” One of the officers said.

“My interns may need some medical treatment,” Hornet bowed to them, “I would like for them to get a look-over. Shoto’s arm, for instance.”

Shoto had completely forgotten about it. The adrenaline rush now over, he looked down to his frozen slash, and melted it. It resumed its bleeding.

A screech, from above. Shoto looked up, and realized it was that same stupid Nomu that had flown away! 

“Get down!” He yelled.

It grabbed Izuku, blood raining down from above.

“Hey, let go!” he cried, as it began to fly away with him at extremely high speeds. The world got smaller and smaller, too quickly for Izuku’s liking.

Stain licked the blood of the Nomu off of one of the cheeks from one of the police officers, a hidden blade as he cut himself free.

The Nomu froze, and suddenly they were going down. 

“The word ‘hero’ has lost all meaning in this society!” Stain ran towards the Nomu, his bindings falling by the wayside as his eyes glowed a deadly red, “The world is overrun by fakes and criminals like you who chase petty dreams!” He jumped, stabbing it in the brain, grabbing Deku with the other hand.

They landed several feet away. 

“You must all be purged,” Stain panted.

Izuku turned his head, his breaths long and strained.

Stain sighed, drooling, “Everything that I do,” He twisted the knife, pulling out the brains, “Is to create a stronger society.”

“On guard!” Hornet commanded, taking out her Needle once again. 

Izuku struggled under Stain’s suddenly very powerful hold.

“Let go!” He squirmed, but the battle from earlier had left him weak. Stain did a number on his thigh, which wasn’t bleeding as badly thanks to a quick tourniquet after Hornet arrived.

Stain let him go, his mask coming off. Izuku looked up, growling, but his face fell.

It was similar to how Holly would intimidate someone, an enticing, unknown fear paralyzing him once again. He let out a whimper.

“You false hero,” Stain said with such raw passion, taking a step towards the small crowd of people, who seemed to fall for the intimidation, “I’ll make this right. These streets must run with the blood of hypocrites.” The moon seemed to turn a deep, blood red as Stain slowly stepped forward, “Hero! I will reclaim that word! Come on, just try me, you fakes!”

Even Hornet fell, suddenly begotten by inexplicable fear. But another dropped down their own intimidation. A double, mass of writhing need to RUN screamed into Izuku’s mind, as two creatures approached each other. One, made of evil and fear, the other, pure unknown, dripping with ancient power. He needed to run, but he was a deer in headlights. His heart pounded in his chest, sweat dripping from his brows as

RUN

His legs refused to move.

_RUN_

He let out a squeak. **  
******

**RUN**

They stared at each other, the only two standing up now. ****

**_RUN_ **

There’s no escaping this place, these _things_.  
 ****

**_RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN_** **_RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN_** **_RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN_** **_RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN_** **_RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN I HAVE TO RUN RUN_** **_RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN_** **_RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN_** **_RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN_** **_RUN RUN RUN RUN GET OUT OF HERE I NEED TO RUN RUN RUN RUN_** **_RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN_** **_RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN_** **_RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN HAVE TO RUN_** **_RUN RUN RUN HAVE TO RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN_** **_RUN RUN RUN RUN CAN’T MOVE BUT NEED TO RUN RUN RUN RUN_** **_RUN RUN_**

Hollow let out a Shade Soul attack. It hit Stain, and he dropped his knife. Eyes rolling into the back of his head, the Hero Killer stilled.

It would only be later that Izuku would hear that it wasn’t Holly that killed him. An autopsy report would show that his lungs had been filled with blood from his fight with Hornet, a puncture wound from his own ribs. He died of suffocation.

For now, the world darkened, and Izuku passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Iida faces a fate worse than death. Poor guy.  
> I was originally going to kill him originally, but then I thought *ya know what be REALLY tragic*  
> And then this happened.  
> Todoroki opens up if only to give a pep talk that falls to deaf ears. You should have given up when you had the chance Iida.  
> Holly is unaffected by the Hero Killer's last tactic in the end, actually making it worse on everyone. Anything to do the job right, I suppose, haha. Stain probably was only intimate a little, and if he lived to see the day, he'd probably call her the only brave one there.  
> Intimidation 2x not a good combo for anyone.  
> If you're wondering, yeah, the Hero Killer could've paralyzed Hornet (and Holly!) if he licked their blood. However, I wrote Holly out of the fight and Hornet is way too good to let something like that happen! Especially with UNPAID INTERNS watching lol. Hornet is way more interested in actually defeating him whereas Stain would have killed her. Luckily (or unluckily) Iida did a dumb. A big dumb. At least the quick shock let Hornet win? Yay(?) XD
> 
> Comment on your predictions for what happens next! I love reading them! :D  
> Thanks for reading guys <3


	30. Dawn of a New Age

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wind down at the hospital leave Izuku and Todoroki feeling better about themselves as heroes, but sad for Iida. Deciding that Iida's suffered enough, then decline taking any credit for helping with Stain's capture.  
> Meanwhile, a new wildfire has begun. Villains have begun to rally under Stain's message, and with that, the want of the rule of Radiance.

Morning light lit up the room the next morning, waking Izuku from his drug-induced sleep. He sat up, wiping the drool from his mouth. What the hell happened? He could feel he was in completely different clothes, a soft blue hospital gown. In his arm, another IV drip. Of course. He was going to look like a drug addict at this rate. 

“You’ve awoken!” Holly exclaimed.

Izuku let out a grunt, wiping the sleep from his eyes. He could tell he was in a hospital, and he felt the stitches in his upper left thigh from last night’s fight. He blinked, looking around. Grimmchild and Shoto were in the next bed beside him, Grimmchild curled in Shoto’s lap as he slept silently. Shoto had an IV in his right arm as well, his left arm in heavy bandages. Across from him, there was a closed curtain of another patient.

The night’s terrors came back to him, and he shuddered.

“You’re terrifying when you want to be Holly,” He said, “All I could think was that I had to get out of there, but I couldn’t move. Stain wasn’t helping, it felt like I’d gone to hell.”

“Apologies,” Holly patted him on the shoulder, “He was trying to intimidate everyone, so I let out my own.”

“How long have I been asleep?”

“8 hours. They cleaned out your wound and let Hornet stitch you back up. You’ll be using crutches for a bit, they said maybe a few days as Hornet re-applies them.”   
Izuku groaned in frustration, flopping back in the bed. Great. He’s out of commission.

His heart sunk, thinking about Iida’s stupid decision to jump in at the last minute like that.

“How’s Iida doing?”

“He will live.”

He could hear Grimmchild coo as Shoto woke up. Again, Holly let out a cry of excitement seeing her friend wake up. Izuku sat up, looking at him.

“Hey sleepy head,” He teased.

Shoto let out a disgruntled growl. “Hey broccoli.”

Izuku let out a laugh. “Broccoli? That’s your best insult?”

Shoto smiled at him, yawning. 

“Are you ok?” Shoto asked Izuku, “You passed out after Stain was defeated.”

“I’ve been better,” Izuku shrugged, looking down at his leg. It was wrapped up tight in bandages, “I can feel the stitches, and they’re itchy as fuck.”

Shoto’s eyes widened, “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you curse!”   
“You start hanging out with Kacchan and you pick up a few swears,” Izuku said with a grin, “That was a fucking shitfest, but I’m glad we kicked Stain’s dick so hard it went straight up his ass.”

They all started laughing, Shoto snorting and trying to compose himself, only to laugh harder.

“That was a shitfest for Stain! More like he  _ Stain _ ed my fucking clothes,” Shoto put his hand quickly over his mouth, as if surprised by his own words.

“The way you’re acting makes me think you’re much more of a cinnamon roll than Izuku, Shoto,” Holly giggled.

“I am no goddamn roll!” Shoto protested.

“The sugary sweet spiciness of a hot candy,” Izuku teased some more.

“Shut the fuck up you fucking green bean!”

They stared at each other, but the boys burst into more laughter when Holly let out some more giggles. It felt good to finally laugh away the troubles, and it made them both feel so much better.

There was a disgruntled cry, “I’m glad you all can laugh about it!”

They all stopped, recognizing Iida’s voice. Izuku immediately felt guilty, being able to laugh so easily.

“How are you doing Iida?” He asked, all laughter now out of him.

Iida opened the curtain furiously, and there were tears in his eyes. His right leg ended right above the knee, wrapped in bandages.

“I can never be a hero now!” He cried, “Stain has ruined me!”

“You ruined yourself,” Shoto said coldly, “We had it handled. We were taking you away. But you just had to jump back in. Hornet could handle herself, she made those webs to protect us.”

“I couldn’t just stan-”

“Shut your shit Iida!" Izuku yelled at him, “You RUINED YOURSELF! You had an amazing Quirk and could have become an amazing hero!”

Iida glared at them, his eyes daggers. 

Holly stood up, and walked to Iida’s bedside, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“Since you can no longer do any hero work, if you have any Charms, may I have them? It would be a shame to go to waste.”

They were all offended at how brutal and sudden that was. Iida’s face was a mixture of horror and disgust, but he quickly flung two Charms and their corresponding notches in her face.

“Get the fuck away from me, you disgusting bug,” Iida spat, as Holly caught everything out of the air.

“Thank you,” She bowed, and Iida furiously closed the curtain again.

“Was that really the best time to ask Holly?” Izuku asked. He thought she was way better at reading the room than that.

“I mean, it got you all to stop arguing,” Holly replied, examining the new Charms. “Dashmaster and Sprintmaster, of course these would be his Charms,” She held out the Sprintmaster to Izuku, along with the Notch Iida had thrown at her, “I remember you saying you had no Charms to your name.”

Izuku felt a bit sick that he was tempted to take the Charm.

He put her hand down, “I̵t's a ̧biṭ distas͢tefu҉l to̧ ̀ta̭ke ̂thiͪsͨ w̜h̊en ͩh̉e͎ c̮a͟n s̨t̂ill̲ ̊hea̙r ͜u̞s̩.̜ ͂I'l͙l̢ ̐ṯak͠e i͐t̖ l̐aṭe̙r.”

In his normal tongue, he said, “No, Holly, I’m not complete garbage.”

Holly nodded, pocketing the Charms. 

“You’re a royal bitch sometimes,” Shoto said, “But, I was thinking about the Charms too.”

From his curtain, Iida cursed, “At least Midoriya has some fucking RESPECT!”

Shoto’s eyes went wide, then pensive. He looked at the pair, and, in perfect High Bug, said, “I̶ cou͜l̏d̿ un̟d̾e͟r̤s̍t҉and ͇t̪h͢at.̝”

Grimmchild let out a happy cry, and declared, “F҉a̓theͦr,̋ you ͛un̏d͕e̤rs͆t̑and̏! T͘hͫeͧ Gri̼mͩm̻ ͬTro͎ûp̊e̜ ͋rejoices!̈ Jöỹ to͏ ouͥr̠ b͇l̝esse̎d!͙”

“It must be the Grimmchild,” Holly said, “And the Troupe. You completed the ritual.”

Shoto lit up a single finger, and was startled to see his flames were completely scarlet now. 

“Isn’t the Nightmare King one of the Higher Beings?” Izuku asked, looking at Shoto’s widening eyes.

“I… I thought that they were doing it in honor of the Higher Being the bugs called the Nightmare King,” Shoto shook his head, “I wasn’t aware that he was...well  _ real _ .”

“In a world with bugs and humans forced to share, where the bugs whisper and rejoice for Higher Beings, are you really surprised?” Holly asked, “Hornet herself is considered half a Higher Being, with the magical powers to back it up. She is as real as you or I.”

“Quirks aren’t magic,” Shoto said, looking at her, “They’re a physical thing. Gods...He’s just a bug with a really powerful Quirk. Maybe even more than one. But, I’m thankful. I won’t ever be compared to  _ him  _ again.”

There was...something wrong with Holly when Shoto said that, Izuku noticed. As if the light was being sucked in around her, as if she knew something they didn’t. In his mind, the very deepest corners, he heard a condescending laugh. As if the more humans tried to explain the paranormal in the world, the closer they came to the true reality of things. And that reality was sitting next to him, forcibly torn away from its true self, but only for a temporary, short half-blink of its eyes.

The feeling disappeared as quickly as it came. Izuku blinked, putting a hand to his head. That was...odd.  Everything seemed to be back to normal. 

He put a hand to his head, confused. 

“Deku, are you alright?” He felt Holly’s hand on his shoulder.

“Oh,” He shook his head, “Just… I think the drugs I’m on are making me trip a little.”

A dog-like police officer, Hornet and another hero Izuku recognized as the Normal Hero: Manual walked through the doors. 

“I am thankful you two are all awake and alert now,” Hornet said, the smile in her voice lighting up the room, “This is the Chief of Police in Hosu City. His name is Kenji Tsuragamae.”

“Thank you, Hornet,” The police chief said, turning to all of them, “Stain is being treated for serious injuries. The Hosu City Department thanks you for your efforts, and for finally bringing him in. Hornet and the Pro Hero you saved, Native, says you two performed beautifully against such a foe. A little bit too rough, but you’re young and inexperienced.” The police chief bowed, “You’ll be amazing heroes when the time comes.”

Izuku sort of pointed at Holly, as if to ask  _ well, what about her _ ?

“I just knocked him down,” Holly said, noticing his face, “You and Shoto were the heroes of the night, finally finding him after the chaos of the Nomus. I won’t take credit for bringing the police and paramedics.”

“But-” He thought for a moment.

“I think my intern is a bit more slow when it comes to shaking off the effects of sleeper drugs,” Hornet told the Chief, “Do not mind him.”

“Well, he hasn’t had breakfast yet either,” Tsuragamae barked out a laugh, “I know I can’t think without some food in the morning!” He looked at the closed curtain, “I’ll have a private talk with that one later Manual.”

“I’ll ask them to move him to a private room,” Manual sighed in disappointment, turning to the boys again, “I’m sorry he got out of hand. I didn’t realize he took off and got mixed up in your mission.”

All three of them bowed their heads solemnly. 

“Take it as a lesson for next time Manual,” Hornet said, “A tighter leash for future interns.”

The Normal Hero sighed, “It will be hell telling his mom what happened.”

“There are risks to this job. The price some of us must pay for protecting others. But a greater price for seeking out foes we are not yet ready for,” Hornet said sympathetically. “They all learned about the risks. Chief, did you want to tell them how we were going to release this?”

“Ah yes,” The Chief put a paw-like hand under his chin, “We haven’t disclosed anything yet, just that Stain was apprehended. You can get all the glory, the recognition along with Hornet, but your friend,” He glanced at the closed curtain, where Iida was surely listening, “He would be scorned and arrested for his actions. He broke the law more than once. For going after someone, and using his Quirk without supervision of those who were meant to look over him, intent on harm with a Quirk, and getting in the way of a pro hero doing their job.”

“Then leave me out of it,” Izuku immediately said, looking at Hornet, “It’s our actions that sing about heroism, isn’t it? That’s how you’re as high as you are, and you’re hardly in the press as a hero. I don’t want Iida getting in trouble either. He’s suffered enough.”

“Me too,” Shoto said, petting Grimmchild, “I’d rather just be known as ‘the intern’ than let him go through any more.”

The Chief let out a hyena-like laugh, obviously very amused. “You both would be fine heroes! You’ve taught them well Hornet.”

Hornet looked at them, and everyone could tell she was brimming with pride. “I didn’t teach them that, Chief. They’ve chosen that path all on their own.”

He let out another barking, happy laugh, “Let’s not overstay our presence. It’s almost time for breakfast at the hospital."

Hornet nodded, “Hollow, come along. Let the boys eat.”

“You’re not staying?” Shoto asked.

“Yeah it’s breakfast!” Izuku said enthusiastically.

“I am not particular to hospital food,” Hornet said as Holly walked over to her, “I’ll bring you all some hash browns as a snack, but for now, you eat what the doctors give you.”

Manuel went to Iida’s curtain as Hornet left, and Izuku heard very low murmurs he couldn’t pick out. After a few minutes, he was wheeled out. 

Izuku sighed at him, but Iida refused to look at either of them.

The moment he was gone, Shoto said, “To not only lose your leg, but honor as well. I’m glad you didn’t want to get any glory. The class will probably figure out what we did anyways.”

“Yeah,” Izuku sighed, “He’s probably getting expelled. Or drop out. He can’t exactly do anything one-legged.”

“That’s what happens when you’re a shit faced prick seeking revenge.”

Izuku threw a pillow at Shoto, “Language!”

Shoto threw it back, “You were just cursing a moment ago!”

Izuku started to giggle uncontrollably. OK, maybe he was a bit high on drugs. He normally would never act like this. Shoto began to laugh as well.

"What kind of fucking painkillers are we on," he said, still laughing. 

"Ones that make me comfortable telling you to fuck yourself you potty-mouthed hypocrite."

Izuku smirked, "Where, when and how, icy hot."

"Maybe on top of you so I can look down on your plain face." Shoto teased back.

He felt his face burn. He had enough sense to know he was going to regret this entire thing later. Shoto looked surprised at himself as well.

"No homo though," Shoto said quickly.

"No homo," Izuku couldn't help but feel his chest burn. Were they flirting just now? He didn't feel any sort of attraction..

Plus, he was on drugs. This was kind of like how Kacchan would talk to Eijiro, thinking about it. And he was dating Holly on the side.

He wished now that Holly's kiss could completely heal his upper thigh. No, no, no, Izuku shook his head, trying to banish the new creeping thoughts in his mind. Holly was his friend, strictly friends, she was unavailable to him, no no no.

His face still turned a bright red as his hearing became sort of muted. He could sort of hear Shoto make fun of him for it, thinking it was their conversation. 

Drugs can make you do really weird things, he concluded, trying to grasp at some sort of sanity as nurses came in to check their vitals and give them breakfast.

* * *

News spreads like wildfire. Articles were published of Stain’s feats, and how Hornet, the Princess Hero of Bugs, captured him with the help of her interns from UA, who remain unnamed. There were few injuries and 1 death from the attack, and it would be reported that Stain later died due to complications. 

But, it was not the complications that caught the internet by storm. A man and an unknown individual of purple smoke were caught watching the chaos from the attacks that were supposedly caused by Stain, and an organization he was affiliated with: The League of Villains. 

A viral video went up, again and again, despite how many times it would be taken down.

Join the League of Villains, align yourself with Radiance, and begin a new age of power and equality. In it, the last moments of Stain being alive, declaring how he would take back the word Hero. How disgusting this society has become. Someone had edited it to say join the League, and become one with Radiance.

From the most abandoned warehouse to the deepest of forests, loner villains felt moved. A perfect calling card for being outsiders. Could they feel it too now, in their hearts? The lovely cry of a trapped, fallen High Being, wanting to be free. Free the Radiance. Down with All Might, snuff out his light. Kill Dreamers, kill the Hollow Knight. Free your true, loving ruler: Radiance, and begin a new age.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter again, but I had a lot of fun writing it. Actually a few parts made me laugh so hard I couldn't keep writing, which is why it took a bit longer this time XD  
> There were a few deleted scenes of Izuku wondering if he was addicted to Holly's touch that turned into a sexual fantasy, but I decided to not to that. You see the remains as he tries to not think about it. Just let the drugs let him curse, let the bois curse.  
> Next chapter: The Boys and some fun for the bois  
> Then we begin with final exams :D


	31. Going Back to a Sense of Normalcy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The internships come to an end, and school resumes again. Class 1-A is none the wiser of the real reason why Iida was kicked out of the Hero's Program, save for those who internships was at Hornet's agency. Shoto and Izuku are forced to agree to a trip to the arcade with the boys.

Uraraka's own internship was going well, she thought. Gunhead himself was teaching her about close-quarters combat, something she had struggled against when Hollow had so easily overpowered her, twice. 

"A knife exercise, de-arming an opponent," Gunhead said, taking out a prop knife during the first days she was there for training. The blade itself was plastic, and would go in and out of your hand if you pushed against it.

"OK," Uraraka prepared herself.

"OK, in the count of 3," Gunhead charged at her without counting, something Uraraka wasn't expecting. She aimed to grab his arm, trying to step sideways, but Gunhead seemed to anticipate this, sweeping her feet. She fell to the floor as Gunhead stabbed her in the chest with the fake knife.

“OK, now let me show you what went wrong,” Gunhead said, and they went over step by step how and what went wrong. By the end of it, Uraraka felt like she had a good feel for different types of knives. Well, until he pulled out a bug’s Nail.

“Now grabbing this,” Gunhead said, holding it steady, “Not a good idea, as you've experienced first hand.”   
Uraraka looked down at her scarred palms. The Sports Festival had left deep gashes that Recovery Girl could only heal so much of, leaving scars.

“Don’t ever grab a bug’s weapon,” Gunhead warned, “I know you classmate wasn’t aiming to kill, but you could have easily died doing something like that.”

Uraraka sighed, nodding. “What should I do then?”

Slowly, Gunhead taught her how to get close, and how to take down a bug with a weapon. At the end of it, she felt tired, but confident. Next time she and Hollow had a confrontation, she would be ready.

She texted Deku after, finally getting the courage to after hearing the news about Stain. She remembered he was interning at her agency, and had grown worried. Sure, they hadn’t been talking lately, but the Sports Festival training left hardly any room for friends.

**Hey Deku! I heard the news. Did you really face off Stain?!**

A few minutes passed, and she had noticed he had read the message, but failed to reply.

**Deku? Are you OK?**

A few more minutes.

_ Sorry. I fell asleep. No. _

**OMG are you hurt?**

_ I’ll be fine. _

**Are you in the hospital?**

_ Yeah. I’m on some drugs that make me sleepy, they keep telling me what it is but I keep forgetting. Apparently a side effect. _

**Do you want me to call you and we can talk instead? Facing off Stain must've been scary!**

_ No, I don’t want to talk to you. _

**It’s OK! We can text then**

There was a few more minutes of silence. Uraraka assumed he’d dozed off again, until she saw that he was typing.

_ Uraraka, I don’t want to talk to you _

**Oh! Sorry. I’ll see you later then. Hope you get better soon!**

No reply. Uraraka assumed he had fallen right back to sleep. 

“Oh! Is that a boy you’re talking to?” Gunhead had walked into the room, and was looking over Uraraka’s shoulders.

“Am I not allowed to?!” She let out a startled yipp, looking at her mentor.

Gunhead giggled cutely, “I always think young relationships of any kind are adorable! Friendships, boyfriends, girlfriends! I’m only teasing you girl.” 

Gunhead was too adorable when he wasn’t a hero, Uraraka thought as she laughed. 

* * *

Izuku slouched back into his bed in the hospital, thoroughly annoyed at Uraraka. She never seemed to take a hint. He blinked lazily at the roof, the drugs making him drowsy still. He sighed deeply.

“Something wrong, broccoli?” Shoto asked.

Izuku let out a laugh, “No, don’t worry about it. Just...it’s nothing really, you icy hot asshat.”

“I wear that asshat with pride.” 

They both laughed, their painkillers taking away the social norms that seemed to stop things like this from happening. It was both freeing and relieving to curse. That was probably why Kacchan did it so much, Izuku thought, eyes blinking into the arms of sleep.

Days passed, and the boys were released from the hospital thanks to Hornet’s healing silk.  Once they got back, Izuku learned that while he was in the hospital, Holly had mastered 2 new Nail Arts while Hitoshi himself had gotten better at his new Scarf-like Charm. 

“I heard one of our classmates got fucked over in the Stain fight,” Hitoshi said one day, during the few breaks Hornet would allow. 

“Yeah,” Izuku sighed, picking at his food. The conversation being brought up didn’t really help his appetite. His emotions burned in determination, the want to become the best hero there ever was, so that someone like Iida would listen next time.

“That sucks,” Hitoshi said, “I guess I’ll learn who it was when we get back? Not that I give a shit anyways, since I didn’t know who it was, although I can take a guess.”

He felt Holly, who had been next to him in the break room, lean against him and wrap an arm around his waist.

“If I didn’t know better, I would say you guys were dating,” Shoto said, sitting down. Izuku’s face went red.

“Are you jealous? Do you need a cuddle too?” Holly asked, and this close, Izuku could sense the emptiness of her Quirk beneath her liveliness. It beat, and his old feelings of wanting the pain to end were once again satisfied to no end. The unknown didn’t scare him. It was a comfort, this darkness that beat beneath her skin, if you were attuned enough to it.

Shoto blushed a little, and Hitoshi smirked at all of them. 

The rest of the internship was, in of itself, rather uneventful compared to the beginning of it. Mostly domestic disputes and breaking up bar fights, small fry compared to Stain. He wondered how the others were doing with their own.

* * *

Katsuki was, for the most part, having a rather grumpy internship. First of all, Best Jeanist was kind of a dick. Brushing his hair and making him more “presentable” and making him take off his grenades before going out on their own patrol. Second of all, he saw the news. Hornet and her interns going and beating Stain. That meant Deku was having a way more exciting internship than he was! Damn it! There was a cold fury of jealousy and contempt. He wasn't sure if it was directed at himself or not, but it didn't help his mood being toted around with Best Jeanist on patrol.

"Do you know why we do patrols?" Best Jeanist asked him one day while on said patrol.

"To beat up villains on the spot!" he replied enthusiastically, still miffed about his new hairstyle.

A group of fangirls stopped them, asking Best Jeanist for autographs. Best Jeanist complied, looking down at his intern in disappointment.

"To give peace of mind to the public," Best Jeanist said.

"Hey, you're the guy who got caught in that sludge villain several months ago, right?" one of the fangirls asked Katsuki.

"EXCUSE ME?" he shouted angrily.

Best Jeanist put a hand on his shoulder, "Pardon, he's an intern. He doesn't quite know how to behave."

Katsuki was about to growl out a retort when he felt his clothing tighten in a quick warning, his collar squeezing and releasing so fast it startled him into silence.

After shooing away the fangirls, Best Jeanist turned to him, "You're learning. And here I thought your temper would hinder you as a hero."

Katsuki wanted to scream in anger, to shout. His face became a red, twisted snarl, tears in his eyes as he looked away.

Best Jeanist noticed this, and remembered that this intern in particular had been through more than most first years that ran through his agency. He recognized the signs of PTSD within him, and it was unmistakable that he was trying to hold back his hands from exploding, from the air now being filled with the scent of sweets.

Immediately, the Pro Hero regretted silencing him the way he did, and was a bit amazed how the boy was trying to snap himself out of his own turmoil.

Deciding enough was enough for today, Best Jeanist waved down a cab for them both.

"Well, I think that's all for today," he said pleasantly, but his intern wasn't answering. And he was certainly doing his best to not look the Pro Hero in the eyes as they rode back to the agency.

"Bakugo," Best Jeanist said finally, after they had gotten out of the cab and back inside.

"WHAT?"

He hardly ever shared his own war stories with the interns. Best Jeaniest wasn't really sentimental in that way, nor did many of them that came to him even care. Best Jeanist let the microfibers in his arms part, showing a pair of ugly, jaggard scars that went from his wrist to past his elbow a little. 

“I don’t tell this tale to many, although many who know me know about it. I got this fighting a villain with a Quirk of knives. One of my early fights,” He let out a nervous, uncharacteristic chuckle, “For this reason, I don’t like really picking up or holding civilians, even if it’s in their best interest. I prefer using my Quirk to carry them away. It triggers me to no end,” He put a hand on his intern’s shoulder, “I ended our patrol because what I did clearly triggered you. And I apologize deeply for that.”

The boy’s face went through an array of emotions. Anger, hurt, surprise, disgust, shame, understanding, horror. He let out a guttural, throaty sound that was a mix of some animalistic shout and, to what the Pro Hero could understand, a fuck you.

And, to his surprise, Bakugo angrily leaned against him, continuing to make such angry, animal noises and mutterings, as if expecting Best Jeanist to hug him. He was like an angry kitten, Best Jeanist thought, electing to pat him on the lead, trying to not undo his immaculate haircut.

What a strange child, he thought, as the boy gradually stopped cursing and instead shook as he tried to contain his emotions.

* * *

The internships had ended, and everyone was sent back to school. Todoroki dreaded it slightly, knowing that Iida would no longer be there. The Grimmchild curled into him, its purrs calming him down. Todoroki couldn't decide how much of it was like a cat, and how much an actual bug.

He sat in his seat, glancing behind him. Iida's chair was still empty.

"Quit lying to me you shits!" Bakugo's unmistakable curses traveled down the hall, "You went after the Hero Killer with Hornet!"

He couldn't hear what he assumed was Midoriya's shy reply to the accusations as the trio walked in. He was like a completely different person off of the battlefield. 

Todoroki sighed letting Grimmchild licked the flames off his fingers, watching them. 

Midoriya's eyes met his, and that same understanding between them. _Lie_.

"Midoriya!" Uraraka ran in, happy as could be, "Are you OK? You weren't answering my texts! I was worried your injuries from Stain got you badly."

"I didn't-"

"I KNEW IT YOU LITTLE LIAR!"

"SHUT UP KACCHAN!" Midoriya finally broke, then he turned to Uraraka, "I got stabbed breaking up a bar fight by some bug who's Quirk apparently is producing knives at the soles of their feet! That's why I was in the hospital."

"I can vouch for him," Todoroki spoke up, "I got a cut on my cheek when he tried to kick me. Mato said that it happens sometimes, and that next time we should approach drunks more carefully."

All of the anger left Bakugo in that instance. 

"That sounds like a cool Quirk," he said.

"I felt too lame to just say that," Midoriya touched his fingers together shyly, a small blush creeping up his cheeks, "Hornet took some more experienced people with her to hunt down the killer."

Todoroki was glad that the news was edited to keep them out. He had seen it himself, but the footage was so bad and blurry from all the chaos that you really couldn't tell who was fighting the Nomus, and who was at the scene when Stain made the speech. He could only tell it was Midoriya next to Stain, but only because he already knew it was him. Bakugo probably could tell too, but in that darkness, his green hair could look green or black, and he was covered in blood, costume hard to make out.

He glanced back at Iida's desk.

More people trickled in, and everyone was talking about their internships. The only person who probably was close to being as exciting as Todoroki's internship was probably Sue. She apparently had helped the Coast Guard bust a ship filled with drugs.

A disaster doesn't happen every day, he thought dully, watching their newest classmate walk through the door. Shinso looked so tired, yet comfortable with his new Charm. 

When his classmates began wondering where in the world Iida was, he mentally checked out. He knew.

His eyes drifted out front when Mr. Aizawa walked in, and the class immediately hushed.

"Tenya Iida isn't coming back," Mr. Aizawa said coldly, the new scars on his face and missing eye making him much more intimidating. "He got too hurt during his internships for disobeying orders." The rest of the class gasped in shock and horror.  "Let this be a lesson to you: our work as Pro Heros is dangerous, and until you have enough experience, you are to obey your superiors. All they're telling me is that he let his emotions get to his head, and he jumped into a fight that was being handled by his superior. Don't let your emotions get the better of you. Logic and a cool head will save not only you, but those you're trying to rescue." Mr. Aizawa took out his sleeping bag and crawled in, falling to the ground. "That's all for homeroom."

Classes were OK. It was a bit of a shell-shock to go back to regular school, learning regular things. As regular as it could get in the hero course. 

Kaminari put an arm around Todoroki's shoulders at lunch, while he was in line. Todoroki looked at him wearily, wondering what he wanted.

"You know, I've noticed you sit by yourself too much, and you seem chill with our dark heart Hollow," he said with a grin, "You and Midoriya are sitting with us today."

Todoroki glared at him. Despite now living with the Grimm Troupe, he didn't want to open up to other people. He didn't want to get close.

"And you're not allowed to say no!" Kaminari declared, as they got their food. Todoroki let out an icy spike. He only laughed at Todoroki's roundabout way of saying fuck off, instead calling over everyone else to come to his table.

Todoroki simmered, a bit annoyed. Why was it that Holly’s calming, pulsing Void Quirk seemed to put him at ease as they sat next to him, he would never know. He was still a bit grumpy.

“Shoto! You’re one of the boys now!” Holly laughed at him, putting an arm around him. To his surprise, Midoriya had been roped in by Kirishima, and Bakugo was now here too.

“I didn’t have a choice,” He said, a bit of annoyance still in his voice. Kirishima and Kaminari both grinned at him wildly. Bakugo just smirked. 

They all ate like dogs, while he and Midoriya ate in a more civilized manner. Holly seemed completely different around them, as wild and feral.

“We should all go to the arcade this weekend!” Kirishima said.

Holly grinned, "Agreed! You all need to take your minds off your worries! Don't worry, I can pay for you all."

Kaminari and Bakugo let out whoops of excitement, and they all high fived.

"That includes you Todoroki and Midoriya!" Kirishima said with fever, a devilish look in his eyes, "You're not allowed to say no."

Midoriya yipped and almost bumbled out an excuse when Holly put a hand over his mouth. She smiled at him.

"You're one of the boys now. You're not allowed to say no. We both know you need this," There was an almost seductive coo in their voice. It almost felt like they were suddenly the calm before the storm. Midoriya's face instantly went red, but he nodded.

Grimmchild, who had begun to get more animated and happy, declared, "WE WILL COME!"

"Wait, Grimmchild-" Todoroki grabbed the summon from the air, but he was already frothing at the mouth at the thought of arcade games and fun.

"HELL YEAH," the three boys screamed.

"NYEH!" Grimmchild roared out.

"I better see you bitches at noon then on Sunday!" Kirishima said, hardening himself and dabbing.

Well… He would still have time to visit for a few hours then. His mom would probably be delighted that he was going out with friends. He remembered her saying that last time they talked.

He let out a small smile, letting their riveting energy pump him up.

"See you sons of bitches there," he coolly said, and the entire table, even Midoriya, screamed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: THE BOYS  
> Took me longer to write this one because I have a new kitten and she's not getting along with her older brother :(  
> Been trying to make sure they don't end up killing each other somehow, but it's hard. If they don't get along in another 3 weeks I may have to surrender her back to the shelter (don't worry, it's a no-kill one). Still, a bit sad. But that's the reason for the delays.  
> Anyways THE BOYS  
> THE BOYS GET THEIR OWN CHAPTER BECAUSE I LIKE BOYS BEING BOYS  
> The most unrealistic thing about the entire show is that a bunch of teenage boys don't do crazy shit for the sake of crazy shit. Setting up that for next chapter. Even Grimmchild is excited! It's going to be fun XD


	32. Funday Sunday with THE BOYS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys have a day to themselves, with many arcade games, shenanigans, and prizes. Todoroki comes out of his shell, and Izuku realizes that his new pack of classmates will defend him, even Quirkless.

The arcade.

Everyone knew that when you said "Let's go to the arcade" there was only one place you meant: Arcadia. A family owned business, Arcadia had everything, Laser Tag, Bumper Cars, Bowling, Obstacle Courses, and of course, maybe over 100s of different arcade machines, from shoot 'em ups to fantasy, even the balls-to-the-wall crazy hard Dragon's Lair, a classic.

Izuku had only been here once, for his 8th birthday. He'd had a blast, although his money was drained quickly using the arcade machines.

"Come on Deku!" Holly walked into his house without knocking an hour before noon as he was getting on his shoes.

"I'm coming," he called back. His mom had already left for work, so it was just him.

Holly stood in the living room patiently, and Deku jumped up. She gave him a feral grin.

"Let us go."

"I still can't believe you convinced me to do this."

"I'm getting better at my interactions then?" she asked.

"If by interactions you mean persuasiveness, then yes," Izuku blushed, not wanting to admit that it almost felt like she was using his crush on her to make him go.

Did she know he had a crush on her? He wondered, cheeks still light pink. Probably not, he figured, glancing at her as they walked down the street. Maybe it was better that way. 

"Denki is trying to convince us all to go earlier," Holly said, glancing at her phone, "He and (rock guy) are already at Kacchan's. Shoto has yet to answer, apparently."

"I'd be excited too," Izuku said, "No, I am excited! I haven't been to Arcadia in years! It was a lot of fun."

Holly smirked at him, and she looked so…. Full of life. Again, the thought entered his head, how could she even make the claim to emotionlessness? Practical, maybe… 

Izuku almost cringed at the thought that she was just trying to be edgy. Her Quirk helped let her intimidate others, by making herself look like a walking corpse. But outside of that, socially awkward sometimes, like him, or swaggering with confidence like Katsuki. There was a bounce in her step, an excited life in her eyes, a small smile on her face. The neutrality that she normally wore was replaced by excitement. No, again, he couldn't think her a shell of a being. That made no sense.

“You nerds are early,” Katsuki answered the door.

“Bakugo, don’t call them nerds,” Eijiro popped his head from behind, a grin on his face, “Hey guys! Kaminari is still trying to convince Todoroki to get his ass over here already.”

Katsuki opened the door for them, and Izuku realized it was the first time in literal years since he’d been at his old friend’s place. It hadn’t changed, at all. Denki was on the couch of the living room, spreading himself out when Eijiro jumped on top of him. Denki let out a small surprised screech, and the boys began to wrestle each other.

A flash of flames appeared, and Shoto stared at them all, a bit annoyed. Izuku jumped five feet in the air, startled, as the pair on the couch stopped their wrestling. Katsuki just laughed at all their reactions while Holly looked at him, not reacting at all.

“My mom absolutely insisted I meet you guys up early,” he explained, “After she saw your texts.”

“Your mom looks at your phone?” Denki asked in disbelief, “I didn’t expect her to be a helicopter parent over you of all people Todoroki.”

“No,” he shook his head, “She just saw your text over my shoulder and then Grimmchild here started talking. She said it was rude to keep people waiting.”

Grimmchild began to shake happily, letting out playful noises. “Arcade, arcade! Fun fun fun!”

“I suppose you could teleport us all over there?” He asked the Grimmchild.

“No, no, only you and that nothing,” Grimmchild floated over to Holly, as if gesturing that she was that nothing.

“It’s not nice to say that someone is nothing,” Eijiro flopped off the couch and stood up, “They’re not nothing!”

“You should watch your mouth, we don’t tolerate that kind of BS Grimmchild,” Katsuki growled, putting a protective arm around Holly.

Holly blinked, as if realizing that they were all suddenly very insulted for her. “Grimmchild, while we walk among the humans, it does make them uncomfortable to point out what we are. You can call me Hollow, or Holly, if you decide to make my acquaintance. To most, being called nothing is an insult.”

“Well you’re not nothing!” Katsuki spat out, and Izuku suddenly felt a brawl was about to break out in the living room.

“A translation error,” Holly corrected, and it was as if light around her was disappearing, her words becoming strange, mangled as another voice spoke, her eyes becoming a bright white, “I am The Nothing. I am The Void. That Endless Death, Nonexistence,” Katsuki suddenly flinched away, as if he was being burned by Holly’s own words, “That is what Grimmchild meant. No insults.” Reality seemed to stitch itself back together, and she blinked back to normal. “Pardon, I did not mean to frighten you.”

“Jesus, you’re fucking scary when you want to be,” Katsuki rubbed the arm that had been wrapped around her, “And I still say that to me, you’re still something special, no matter how edgy you try to be.”

“That was so edgy I swear I could cut myself,” Eijiro agreed.

“That actually scared the fuck outta me, why did you have to do that,” Denki said, actually trembling, “I didn’t expect that out of our cute little bug.”

“You think I’m cute?” Holly asked curiously.

“You’re easily the cutest,” Katsuki kissed her on the lips suddenly, and Izuku found himself jumping in surprise, looking at his other classmates. Only Shoto seemed mildly surprised.

“Alright, stop fucking showing off,” Eijiro jumped on Katsuki and broke them up, “We have a day of fun and fucking around to get to!”

“Fuck you,” Katsuki shoved him back, “Fucking gaylord.”

“Candyman.”

“Shithead!”

Shoto turned to Izuku as the pair continued to insult each other, “OK, well, there goes that theory that you two were dating in secret.”

“Seriously?!” Izuku let out a surprised squeak.

He shrugged, “Your chemistry is so good that nearly the entire class thinks you two are together, or you and Bakugo. I guess those two are good at hiding that.”

“How many times do I have to tell you she’s my best friend,” Izuku let out a tired, exasperated reply.

Shoto shrugged again.

* * *

The ride there was uneventful. Their energy was obvious, and Holly did their best to match the excitement of the boys. They could read them all like books. Even Shoto, who tried to keep a much more reserved approach to it, was obviously a bit excited. 

Taking the train there, Holly noticed that Izuku was extraordinarily uncomfortable with how sweet Katsuki was being on them.

They didn’t know quite what to do. In the media Holly had seen, in love triangles, the one the pair of people would fight over would play them both. But Hollow always found that… nonsensical. It would hurt both boys' feelings if they led him on, when they had both clearly drawn their own lines. Best friends only. They were with Katsuki, so Izuku would have to deal with his emerging jealousy on his own. They found the friendship with Izuku beneficial for his strategy, his remarkable wit, and now, his immeasurable strength. It would be folly to break it. Conversely, Katsuki seemed to have tamed himself a bit by consorting with the unknown, his raging, boyish hormones satisfied with their kisses and touching. He was clever as well, although most tended to forget how sharp he was under all that brashness of his.

Walking among the humans, and trying to understand their complex social systems, left the emptiness within Holly at a strange crossroads. The best would, for now, do nothing about that raging jealousy of his. Continue to be Izuku’s support, help him re-build his self-confidence to be the best hero, while also helping to develop Katsuki’s own self-worth, and knit them together, to bridge the gap of self-loathing their childhoods had created. This outing was a good step in that closure. 

Hollow figured that this was what many would consider “heroic”, on a smaller scale. They tried to reach out for any type of feelings or opinion on the matter, within themselves. Nothing but the Shade, which curled curiously, crawling with its own confused anger. Neither of them still knew why there was anger within, or confusion. The only two emotions Hollow could somewhat feel, but even that was a dulled, faded out version of emotion.

They arrived. Denki, Katsuki and Eijiro's energy rubbed off onto the two more reserved boys, amplified by Holly mimicking them, trying to bring out the childish playfulness within them, making them relaxed. While Shoto did not jump and down eagerly, Grimmchild shook and howled along with them while Izuku seemed nervously excited.

"Welcome, welcome!" A woman in the uniform of Arcadia greeted. The logo was huge across her chest, wearing a bright red and black striped shirt, with a top hat and white gloves. She had big, purple eyes and a bright smile at them.

"A full six hours of fun," Holly took out the little purse within her cloak, taking out a card, "Give them all cards with 100 Geo each for the machines. We'll be here until closing, probably."

Behind them, one of the boys whistled.

"All right boys, I do see here you're all those first years at UA, yeah?" the employee smiled at them, "Step up here for your bracelets. Gally! Get over here! We've got some big buckos over here!" she turned to them, "Do you all consent to having your Quirks suppressed for the next three hours? It's so our machines don't break."

A cockroach appeared, with bright red eyes and what appeared to be slightly more humane pink lips sauntered over as everyone said yes. Holly held out their wrist for the bracelet.

"Blue for this one," the first employee said, and Gally put on the bracelet, kissing their hand. Immediately Holly felt her control over Soul being locked away in a box, as well as her ability to dash, and the Crystal Heart. Everything else seemed to stay.

And for a moment Holly thought she would get to feel emotional for a day.

"Yellow for this one," the first said as Denki eagerly went up next, his hand being kissed.

"You can tell what our Quirks are, right?" Izuku asked as he went up next.

The women winked, "Indeed I can, Rainbow boy. My Quirk is to see the Quirks of others." Izuku was given a rainbow bracelet, flashing and lighting up in colors. "Gally here can suppress your Quirk with a kiss for however long she sets it."

"Don't worry," Gally winked at them, "I only do it three hours at a time. Your bracelets will flash before I have to re-apply this, so the machines won’t work until you do."

Eijiro, Katsuki and Shoto were all given red bracelets, which blinked.

"That little summon of yours isn’t considered bug nor human, so unless you take off the Charm, it’s not allowed on anything,” Gally explained.

Grimmchild sighed unhappily, but Shoto nodded, giving him a pat. “Maybe when you get older.”

The first employee opened the gate, "Have fun boys."

Arcadia itself seemed to be quite empty. Above, the sounds of bowling could be heard, while below, the shouts and cheers of bumper cars. There was a giant bouncy house at the very end of a long, long line of arcade machines through the ages, some imports from other countries even. 

"Do you think they're related to Mr. Aizawa?" Izuku asked them curiously.

Katsuki laughed, "related to a cockroach? That is an interesting family tree of his."

"Maybe he has a sister that’s into that kind of thing," Eijiro shrugged, "No kinkshaming."

"What do you guys wanna do first?" Hollay asked, "I heard they have a bouncy house obstacle course. We could race to see who's the fastest Quirkless."

"That sounds like fun!" Izuku said happily.

"I'm gonna kick all of your asses then," Katsuki declared.

"You cocky piece of shit, I'm going to be the winner!" Eijiro countered, shoving him roughly.

"And what makes you think I’m not going to be the winner!” Denki claimed, jumping on Eijiro’s back and piggybacking off him.

Katsuki smirked wildly at them, shit eating grin almost feral as the group made their way there. 

“Only two at a time,” The worker said, scanning their bracelets, “The rest of you can watch. I heard you all the way from here.”

The bouncy house was easily the size of half the wall itself, an obstacle course that had huge pillars in the front, with tangled webs to climb up that eventually gave way to a slide.

“Me and you first,” Eijiro put an arm around Holly’s shoulders, “Bakugo! Set a timer!”

The worker moved aside as Katsuki set up a timer. The rest of the boys watched thirstily.

“Ready, set, GO BITCHES GO!” Katsuki screamed at them, and the pair scrambled in.

Their own footsteps set the pillars to begin to swing wildly. Holly found they could no longer dash, so they awkwardly bounced forward. Eijiro raced ahead easily, and began to climb up the tower to reach the slide. Holly eventually reached him as he was halfway up, but, being a bug, her natural abilities gave her the advantage as she bounced upwards.

“No fair!” Eijiro teased as she easily caught up to him. He doubled his efforts. They reached the top together, jumping down the slide. Holly tumbled down, flipping all ways before landing on the bottom on their face.

“TIME!” The boys cheered, “20.7 seconds for Kirishima, and 21 even for Hollow!” Denki called, jumping up and down. He grabbed Shoto, “You and me next!”

Shoto seemed to reluctantly accept this, Grimmchild staying outside. 

"GET YOUR ASSES READY!" Katsuki yelled, "GO!"

The next pair ran in. It was obvious at first that Shoto had tried to summon his Quirk as Denki raced ahead, forgetting that it was now suppressed. Realizing his mistake, he raced forward awkwardly. It was obvious he'd never been in a bouncy house once in his entire life as he stumbled forward, constantly falling and rolling. 

"You can do it Todoroki!" Eijiro called, "It's just a bouncy house!"

"Yeah, go, go, go!" Izuku called, but it was obvious he was laughing at Shoto's awkwardness as he constantly slipped on the moving floor. He eventually settled for crawling as fast as he could. Denki had already slid down the slide, clocking in 23.48 seconds.

"You can do it Todoroki!" they all began cheering him on as he slowly made it up the wall. Finally, he slid (or more, once again tumbled like Holly had) down the slide.

He was panting, face red, as they all cheered. Shoto looked quite embarrassed, "Don't even tell me the time."

"Never been to a bouncy house?" Izuku asked.

He shook his head.

"Hopefully we never meet a villain who can turn things into a funhouse," Demki held out a fist. "GG dude."

Shoto stared at it for a second, then bumped it.

"OUR TURN!" Katsuki shoved the phone into Holly's hands, "Going to kick your ass Deku!"

Izuku let out a nervous yelp as Katsuki pushed him to the entrance.

"READY, STEADY, GO BITCHES!" Holly mimicked how Katsuki did it, and Denki and Eijiro let out laughs.

They scrambled in, Katsuki simply screaming out curses. He easily left Deku in the dust. Deku wasn't a slouch either, but Katsuki was obviously extremely agile.

"14 point 7 seconds!" Holly declared as he stumbled down the slide. A few seconds later, Izuku followed. "20 point 15 seconds!"

"God Kacchan you're so fast," Izuku panted, and he grinned.

"Told ya I'd kick your ass to the curb."

"For all your analyzing, that was way better than me," Shoto said to Izuku.

"Did you want to try again?" Izuku asked.

Shoto shook his head, then looked over to the arcade machines themselves. 

"HELL YEAH!" Denki caught his gaze, "SOME GOOD OL CLASSICS."

"NYEEEHHH" Grimmchild let out a happy screech. With wild ambition they ran towards the machines.

The first machine that caught Todorki's eyes was a dancing machine, where it would track your movements and base your score on it.

"Do it!!" Grimmchild foamed at the mouth, shaking wildly, "Dance! Dance!"

The others quickly noticed Todoroki's own hesitation. Denki jumped on his back.

"Dude, you have to! You volunteered for halftime!"

"Go on you nerd," Katsuki shoved him onto the platform, where a cartoon rabbit and a cartoon man in sunglasses were dancing.

Todoroki sighed. He was here to have fun after all, even though he had embarrassed himself to hell on that bouncy house. His classmates all began cheering at him. He scanned his bracelet, then picked a song at random. The game asked if he wanted a second player for his choice, and he glanced at them, unsure.

“Oh, since you asked nicely, I definitely will,” Kirishima said, giving him a fanged grin and grabbing the other helmet, scanning his bracelet.

Todoroki didn’t know why he blushed, but just that he did. He put on the helmet to hide it.

An upbeat, happy song played as Todoroki’s senses were teleported to the digital realm. 

“This is cool!” He heard Kirishima cry, and he glanced at his partner, who, in this reality, had become a blonde girl in a simple red skirt with a black shirt.

READY? The words flashed, and the music began to blast loudly. An upbeat, happy song began to play, no lyrics, but it filled Todoroki with an immense, happy joy. He found himself smiling widely without restraint, as he began to copy his double. He began to jiggle his knee like the character while Kirishima bobbed his knees up and down. 

Kirishima began what looked like an awkward chicken imitation towards the female character while Todoroki smiled and moved his shoulders, the happy, upbeat song making him want to laugh.

The pair turned their backs and began snapping their fingers to the beat, before turning to each other. Todoroki put a hand to his chest and held out a hand like the character, “Dance with me.”

“You’re pretty good at this,” Kirishima laughed, clapping his hands before bopping Todoroki on the head like the characters were, “I’ll accept.”

The boys clapped their hands, both putting their hands on their hips and making circular motions before waving their hands and shaking their fists.

Todoroki could faintly hear the cheers of the others as he grabbed Kirishima’s hand, and both took a step and swung a foot forward. They did a simple side step, and Todoroki got bold and dipped him, like the characters were. The music swelled happily, and Kirishima let out a surprised laugh.

They parted and began snapping at each other, swinging their arms. Todoroki grabbed Kirishima and spun him, before they both bowed at each other. Separately, they mimicked their characters again, Todoroki jumping up and down, spinning and shaking his hips, and laughter escaping him. 

The music ended, high notes trilling with happy noises. Todoroki took off his helmet, not realizing how hot and sweaty the thing had made him. The pair had gotten a new high score in the machine.

“Fuck yeah dude!” Kirishima cheered, tying in their names, “WE FUCKING KICKED ASS.”

Tickets spat out for the both of them, and Todoroki folded his up neatly before pocketing them.

“Again, again!” Grimmchild cheered happily.

“Yeah, do me next!” Kaminari asked, “That looked like so much fun!”

“Well, if you nerds are going to do that, I’m going to kick some ass in the racing games,” Bakugo smirked.

“You don’t want to see if you can kick our asses dancing?” Midoriya asked.

“I’m not gay, Deku.”

“Hey! It’s completely manly to dance,” Kirishima shot back, “And I’m still sure as shit you’re the gayest mother fucker out there Bakugo.”

“I’m not fucking gay!” 

“Well, you’re dating me, and I care not of my pronouns,” Holly said plainly, “I am quite literally genderless, after all. You all have seen my naked body plenty of times.”

“Oh shit that’s gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay,” Kaminari said.

“Not gay if she calls herself a girl!” Bakugo said.

“Currently I’m with the boys, acting a boy.”

“I didn’t peg you for gay,” Todoroki teased, smirking at him now.

“FUCK HOLLY YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE ON MY SIDE!” Bakugo yelled.

Holly let out a smirk, looking at Bakugo with a certain twinkle in their eyes. They didn’t reply.

Midoriya started to giggle uncontrollably, blushing.

“Come on Kaminari, dance with me,” Todoroki invited, “Do you guys want to meet up for laser tag when that opens?”

“Fuck yeah, and I’ll fucking bury you!” Bakugo challenged. 

“Alright,” Todoroki accepted, putting on the helmet, see you in the ring, Bakugo.”

* * *

Izuku followed Holly and Katsuki away from those three, still grinning a shit-eating grin. But the song that they picked made him stop. He recognized Horrible Kids from Set it Off.

It was one of the few things that could trigger his terrible memories, reminding him of the bullying.

_Why is it me they're after?_   
_Couldn't they pick another one?_

“Deku, are you all right?” Holly asked, “Weren’t you going to join us in the race cars?”

Instead of answering, he picked up a gun from one of the shoot ‘em ups.

“No,” He replied quickly, “I… I wanted to play this! It caught my eyes!”

“You sure you ain’t shitting us?” Katsuki asked, “You loo-” 

“Kacchan, sometimes I just want to shoot something!” What a strange reversal, for him to be yelling ~~at his formed bully.~~

_Go! Get away from me_   
_Leave me be_   
_I beg you please_   
_I'm on the floor on bended knee._

The pair glanced at each other, but left him alone. But Holly ran a hand over his shoulders before she left, and it made his skin stand.

 _No, come back_ , he wanted to call, _don’t leave._

_Without a friend to call his own, so_

The lyric made Izuku want to scream, so instead he gripped the fake gun tighter and shot the enemies on-screen. Apparently a zombie game. It was obvious why they blocked Quirks now, his knuckles pressed white. He could feel his Quirk screaming for release, but hitting the walls the roach had put up for now.

Someone shoved him roughly from the machine, causing a game over.

“Hey, that wasn’t-” Izuku’s words died on his lips.

One of the more prominent bullies from middle school glanced down at him menacingly, a bug-human hybrid called Bilis. He was part Metalmark butterfly, and he had the beautiful wings to show, black wings with blue polka-dots as his black, fluffy hair made him seem so inviting with the fairest of skin and rose red lips. A good way to hide one’s misdeeds and come off as innocent. Who could blame a butterfly, sweet, beautiful butterflies?

“God, it’s a fucking worthless, Quirkless, useless Midoriya,” Bilis said. Izuku now noticed his friends were around, old and newer ones. Roaches and beetles, a few newer humans as well, curious now.

Izuku scrambled up, holding out a warning hand, keeping his voice steady, “Look, Bilis, I don’t want any trouble.”

_Horrible kids_   
_Would you look what you did_   
_It was your ignorance_

“Too bad I’m looking for it,” His beady black eyes flashed, deadly.

Izuku didn’t want a fight. If any of the staff at UA heard he’d gotten into a fight, he would be in trouble. Expelled, even, for ruining the reputation of UA.

He turned and tried to walk away, but Bilis jumped up and landed in front of him. Shit, Izuku noticed that he was surrounded now. 

“I saw you at the festival. I didn’t know you had such a powerful Quirk,” Bilis said.

_Horrible kids, horrible kids, horrible kids_

“Thanks, now, excuse me,” Izuku’s crowd surfing skills came in handy, as he dodged the swiping claws of bugs trying to keep him there. He glanced back, and the bugs all stared. They followed him as he began to power walk away.

Shit, where Shoto and the others at the dance station weren’t there.

“You could kill yourself if you use too much, right? I saw how you broke some of those fingers.”

“I DON’T MEAN TO BE TROUBLE, I JUST AM FINDING SOME OF MY FRIENDS,” he shouted loudly, looking around frantically.

“Oh that little black bitch Hollow with you now? Or now that you’re a big bad hero, you too much for her?”

“Midoriya!” Oh thank fuck, Eijiro came to his rescue. He put an arm around the redhead, glancing behind him as the small group of friends stared at him.

“Oh is Midoriya a little faggot now?” Billis taunted, and some of the beetles laughed.

“Leave him alone! So what if he is gay?” Eijiro shot back, “There’s no reason to follow him around and pick on him.”

“It’s not worth it,” Izuku tried to lead him away, “Let’s just get back to the others, please.”

We’re in the hero course!” Eijiro declared.

“We’re currently without our Quirks!”

“That’s right,” Billis flapped his wings, “And, naturally, bugs can overpower Quirkless humans.”

The other bugs seemed to savour this thought, stepping closer to them. Eijiro realized that they were both outmanned and outgunned.

“Hey! This isn’t right at all!” He said, “You’re all a bunch of bullies!”

“And a pretentious prick,” A perfectly neutral voice spoke, and fear seemed to seep into the crowd. Holly stepped out from between the machines. “Billis. Friends of Billis.”

“Holly, how are you?” Billis seemed to be suddenly sweet.

Holly spread out her shredded, broken monarch wings, as if to intimidate him. The part of her Quirk that wasn’t taken away, pure, unfiltered intimidation, came out.

“I’m fine. Now, do you need another lesson? Should I aim for your most precious wings, and shred them like mine are?”

“Fucking bitch,” Billis turned, “Not worth it. But Midoriya, you come here, you better watch out. This is my playground, and I don’t like fucking sharing.”

Izuku let out a sigh of relief as they all left.

“Who were those guys?” Eijiro asked.

“Some of the kids who used to pick on me back in middle school,” Izuku said as Holly’s shimmering wings disappeared, “Thanks for backing me up.”

“His parents own the arcade,” Holly explained, “We’re probably going to get kicked out soon.”

“That blows,” Eijiro sighed, then looked at Izuku, “Bakugo just won 5 thousand tickets and we wanted to see how strong you were Quirkless in one of those test-your-strength things.” He put an arm around him, “Better see how good you are before the owners throw us out.”

“You’re not mad at me for ruining the day?” Izuku asked.

“What? Fuck no. This place blows if they kick us out because Snow fuck-him White over there decides that he can’t just get away with jumping you. Why would they even do that?”

Izuku looked away.

“Hey, you don’t have to tell me then, if it makes you that uncomfortable. I don’t think you are any less manly for keeping it a secret.”

He felt Holly squeeze his hand, and Eijiro’s protective arm made him feel better.

“Thank you.”

“No problem. You’re one of the bros now.” 

Izuku let out a weird chuckle, “A bro?”

“OK, how about a boy? One of the BOYZZZZ.”

Izuku and Holly laughed.

“You calling me fucking gay, but I see you two fags over there!” Katsuki’s voice teased as they turned the corner, “Finally you show the fuck up. Getting bored just mowing down robots with these two.”

“I am gay,” Eijiro replied, wiggling his hips, “Come here and suck my dick.”

“Fuck you.” 

“Fuck me yourself, coward.”

“Damn it!” Denki looked at Katsuki in disbelief, “Fuck, you left us hanging to get squished!”

“Well, now that Deku’s here, we can test out this puppy,” Katsuki grinned and pointed to the machine behind them, one that supposedly tested their strength. At the very top was an All Might in his Silver Age costume on a screen doing various poses.

“Test your strength? Are you as strong as the greatest hero?!” The machine cried, and the All Might flexed. “Let’s see!”

Izuku let out a little chuckle at the sight of it.

“Well, let’s get it over with,” To his surprise, Shoto stepped up first, scanning his bracelet and taking the hammer with a small smile.

“All Might will probably find this hilarious,” Eijiro said, taking his phone out to record, “Go on Todoroki! Smash!”

Shoto wound up and brought down the hammer as hard as he could.

“A Carolina Smash! Good start, but no cheese!” The machine laughed, “Want to try again?”

“Seriously, just Carolina?” Shoto said, annoyed, but Denki shoved him aside.

“Let me try!” He cried, scanning his bracelet, before slamming down the hammer eagerly.

“Just barely a man!” The machine taunted, “You can’t even summon a good California! What are you, a wimp?”

Everyone else laughed at this, and Denki shoved the hammer to Katsuki’s hands, “All right Mr. Big Guy, let’s see how good you can do!”

Katsuki scanned his bracelet, “Better than you nerds.” He brought down the hammer, hard.

“NEBRASKA SMASH!” The machine laughed, “Good on you lad! Maybe one day you’ll be like me!” The machine spat out two tickets.

“Seriously? Better than Todoroki?” Denki smirked, “He could kick your ass.”

Todoroki let out a smile as Katsuki yelled, “I just kicked his ass in this stupid machine. And seriously, just two of these fuckers?” Katsuki ripped off the tickets as they argued.

“Bakugo! I want to show this to All Might!” Eijiro complained, then handed the phone to Izuku, “Here, let’s see how I do.”

Izuku filmed him as he took the hammer and scanned.

“DETROIT SMAASH!” The machine called, "That was so manly! You're on your way to victory!” It spat out one ticket.

“Funny, I always saw All Might’s Detroit Smash to be better than his Nebraska,” Eijiro laughed, taking the singular ticket.

Holly stepped up next, holding out a hand for the hammer. Eijiro handed it to her.

“Baby grub,” The machine taunted, “Are you sure you can even call yourself human?”

“You guys make it seem easy,” Holly sighed as the boys hooted. Eijiro took the phone from Izuku.

“Come on, we have to see how you do! You basically have nearly the same Quirk!” Eijiro shoved him forward, as Holly handed him the hammer.

“Uhm, OK,” Izuku knew he had gotten stronger naturally, without his Quirk, so he could handle One for All better. Scanning his bracelet he gripped the hammer down.

“SMASH!” He yelled.

“SMALL MIGHT!” The machine called, lights going up in celebration, “Almost as strong as me! Keep at it!”

“No fucking way!” Denki, Eijiro and Katsuki all yelled as the machine spat out his ticket prizes.

Izuku couldn’t help but smile, then turned and flexed his arms before blushing furiously at his own silliness and laughing at them.

“Hell yes!” He said, “Even Quirkless I’m stronger than all of you!”

“I heard you boys were picking on some bugs earlier?” A dull, bored, southern voice of an employee interrupted their screeches, and all of them turned to a woman blowing a bubble, looking like she wanted to go home already.

“We weren’t doing anything but playing games,” Denki answered.

“I hear you, you, and you are the culprits.” She pointed at Izuku, Holly and Eijiro, “Boss says he’ll refund y’all, just that ya gotta scram. Making others mighty uncomfortable.”

“What? You believe that little shit wasn’t picking on us?” Eijiro said, then turned to them, “Some fucker was trying to jump Midoriya earlier, him and his gang, and me and Hollow here had to help him bail.”

“Seriously?” Denki said.

“Why don’t you check the footage and see who was actually picking on who?” Shoto said coolly, suddenly once again all ice.

“Yeah! Deku’s too soft to pick on anyone!” Katsuki said defensively, and, to Izuku’s eternal surprise, stepped in front of him. Holly did too, but Izuku was touched at Katsuki’s protectiveness.

The worker sighed, and they were all picked up psychically. They all let out cries of surprise before their mouths were clamped shut. She began to float them back towards the front, taking off their bracelets one by one as she did so.

“Look boys, I know all y’all probably did nothing wrong. But he pays me to do this. Nut’n personal. Heard you paid in card, it’ll be refunded in full. You put up a ‘fight’ though, so gotta ban you now. Saw you all in the festival, so I’ma just gonna let this slide under and not call yer school. Ya seem a bit too nice to ruin over little Bitch Boy being petty. Yee I saw that footage. But no one else will." She dropped them all at the entrance. “Now scram. Your Quirks will be returned in a few hours when the timer on them runs out.”

Katsuki flipped her off, then kicked the ground and yelled into the air. “GOD DAMN IT.”

“Well, now what?” Denki asked as they all walked away, “I was hoping to get some laser tag in today.”

“FIND ANOTHER PLACE MAYBE?” Katsuki shouted.

Izuku looked away sheepishly, feeling bad.

“Hey, it’s not your fault that bitch picked on you.” Eijiro put an arm around Izuku, squeezing him. Izuku blushed, but then Holly did it too.

“He is correct, you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“That was mother-fucking Billis?!” Katsuki shouted, “God, what a fucking prick!” He took something out he’d been hiding under his shirt and shoved it in Izuku’s arms, “Here! Feel better now! For the one I burned!”

“Oh-my-god-Kacchan, it's-the-limited-edition-hero-notebook!” Izuku actually began to tear up, “Where did you-”

“Shut up nerd! I won 5 thousand tickets and that was the top prize!”

Izuku tried to stop his tears, but they came anyway.

“Oh my GOD you’re SUCH A _GIRL_.”

“Fuck you,” He sobbed, “And thank you oh my god.”

“Broccoli has such a potty mouth,” Shoto said quietly behind them.

He turned his head, “Like you’re any better Shoto! I heard you swearing up and down in your sleep!”

“A new hot couple?” Denki teased, “Icy Hot and cute little Deku?”

“I am strictly straight,” Shoto huffed, “But you two are cute little shits.”

Izuku and Eijiro bumped into someone accidentally, not watching where they were going.

Todoroki stopped in his tracks. His eyes went wide, panic setting in his heart.

His father, in full hero costume, was in front of them. Well shit, he probably heard the gay joke he made.

His mind raced. He was still Quirkless from the arcade! He had no way of really defending himself, knowing how much he relied on his Quirk in fights.

“Father,” He said coolly, “Pardon us.”

“Shoto,” His father said, “Why are you out with these hooligans? Shouldn’t you be studying?”

“They’re my friends and it’s Sunday,” He answered coolly, but he could hear Grimmchild suddenly get agitated.

His friends noticed the change in him, like they had noticed the change in Midoriya earlier. Holly didn’t hesitate to put themselves between them, as the rest of them followed suit.

Did...did they all know about his situation? Todoroki hadn’t told anyone about it though! Stuffing down the panic later, he looked his father in the eyes.

“We’re just on our way to a different bowling alley,” Midoriya, suddenly completely confident, said.

“After some lunch. We were going back to my place for sandwiches,” Kaminari said smoothly.

They all so easily lied for him.

Todoroki clenched his fists, trying to calm down his shakes. His father would have to bat through five others before he could lay a finger on him, although he wasn’t aware how helpless they all currently were. The only one who _might_ stand any chance was Holly, with the natural abilities of a bug, but even they would burn under the fire.

Something flashed in his eyes, between the moment he blinked. A laugh, nightmarish in call. He blinked again, and the laugh invited him back home. 

He snapped his fingers.

A flash of scarlet fire and smoke, and they were all on the porch in front of Grimm’s house, who was outside smoking.

“The Nightmare King sensed your hopelessness, and Quirklessness, and decided to invite you all back,” Grimm explained, smoking a cigar, “You made him smile this day, Todoroki, for you danced out your heart. You enjoyed yourself. Blessed be those who please the Nightmare King.”

“You live with the Grimm Troupe?” Kirishima asked, “What happened with your dad back there?”

“He looked like he was going to kill us,” Midoriya said.

“Assholes! You can’t see for two shits that his father was one of those abusive Quirk-marriage asshates?” Bakugo replied roughly.

Grimm chuckled at them, “As you all seemed to have your day ruined, you are free to enjoy the rest of it here. I have many human-like activities, like video games, movies, and other such games, if our Blessed here wishes to invite you.”

Todoroki blushed a bit, then looked at them. He had never had friends over, or ever was given the chance to invite anyone, anywhere. It was always training, training, training.

“I wouldn’t mind,” Midoriya said.

“If you are comfortable, I do not either,” Holly beamed at him.

“Yeah, it sounds fun!” Kaminari said.

“Better than those bitches back at Arcadia,” Bakugo said.

“You got that right,” Eijiro high-fived him.

Todoroki put a hesitant hand behind his head, not knowing how to even react.

“Well… do you guys want to…” He was trying to put together the words, but they already screamed a collective HELL YES. Then, like a pack of dogs, they all raced inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DAMN THIS CHAPTER IS LONG. I didn't realize how long it would be until I started to post.  
> Sorry it's been a while, a lot of things got in the way this week. But now that it's settled and back calmed down, I should get back to it. Hope anyone reading in America had a good holiday too, I did some much-needed overtime this day XD  
> Holly was a bit hard to write out, actually, since she's much more mindless than I thought, haha. She refers to herself as they/them mentally, and by her given name sometimes :) Still, it was interesting to write about an emotionless character! Pure, unfiltered logic for her acquaintances X)  
> I let Katsuki win a lot here because he really needs a win XD I've been making him lose so often it's kinda unfair.   
> I was going to have more in the Grimm house but I realized it's almost been a week, so short summary here: They all play Mortal Kombat, Katsuki kills them all, and then watch movies before they all go home late. Denki falls asleep on Shoto, and Shoto wonders about friendship, but realizes he quite likes hanging out with them all outside of class. Grimm has to separate Holly and Katsuki because he kisses her in the movie and the Nightmare King isn't about that unless it's in a play, haha XD  
> Tried to show more chemistry between Holly and Katsuki, because they ARE still dating. Uhm.... hope I did OK XD
> 
> Next time: SOME FINAL EXAMS!! Try and guess who I'm gonna pair up with Holly XD  
> Lucky me it's still an even number of students since I added Shinso and basically sentenced Iida to a fate worse than death O O P S.  
> Should be a barrel of fun!  
> Thank you for reading, and leave a comment on what you thought~ I do read them all :D


	33. The Written Exams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's finals week, and the class is collectively nervous about the written portions. Some study hard, some thing about studying, some lose sleep cramming all night long. But it's not writtens they're worried about now: It's the physicals.

The next day, Kirishima showed All Might the video he took of them at the machine. The pro hero let out a mighty laugh looking at it.

“Oh! I remember those!” All Might laughed cheerfully, then pulled out an arm to flex, “They wanted me to do custom voices for that one! Of course I had to say yes! Encouraging others and being an inspiration is what heroes do!” 

“Does everyone get an endorsement for video games?” Kirishima asked him, curious.

“Sometimes. Sometimes they’ll just get voice actors that sound just like you if you don’t have time. Some of the pros get that treatment if they don’t have time,” All Might held up a finger, “Don’t let that discourage you! Just because you’re a hero, doesn’t mean you can actually voice act.”

Kirishima chuckled, smiling, “That makes sense.”

“Alright you, get to class,” All Might marched heroically away, “Before your homeroom teacher gets on you for tardiness!”

He saluted to All Might, a bounce in his step as he bounded towards the classroom. It was still early, and not many were here yet. As he passed by Holly's desk Kirishima put a hand on their bald head and ran it through. Their skin seemed to have both a small fuzz and yet a smooth, cool texture to it. It felt wet yet dry at the same time, the closest he could think of was jello, with and without mold. He loved the paradoxical feel to it. They were wearing the male uniform today, and it looked even bigger on their small frame with the pants.

Holly waved at his hands, making no discernable noises. He noticed they swiped him with that beautiful, glowing, dreamcatcher-like Quirk of theirs as scattering sparks of his thought energy filled his eyes for a moment.

"Is it that paradoxical to you that you cannot help but touch? I would rather you ask first, Eijiro." They stared at him, and his ears became red.

"Sorry, you're right," he apologized, "That wasn't manly or heroic."

A question suddenly occurred to him, "How much do you read when you do that?"

"Just what your current thoughts are. Surface level things.” 

“Well, I just wanted to tell you that All Might thought it was really funny, the arcade machine.”

“That’s nice.”

Holly was so weird sometimes. One moment, full of energy and life, the next, lifeless. He briefly wondered for a moment if their statement of emotionless was true, but shook his head. They were just being edgy. He blushed thinking about when he was going through his own edgy faze of being "an emotionless husk of an anti-hero" and hoped theirs would wear off soon.

* * *

Months passed. They were all in the homeroom, and Mr. Aizawa was on the floor again, sleeping deeply. The final week of June arrived, and with it, the most dreaded of final exams. Or, dreaded for most, as Hollow listened to their classmates. They were unsure if they should falsify nerves, or confidence, listening to them, and knowing their own grades. 

"I'm so nervous," Mina admitted, “I haven’t been really studying.”

“I haven’t been either,” Denki said with her, “With so many dying or just getting expelled, studying...it’s really the last thing on my mind when half of the time I keep thinking a villain will come and attack us, and maybe even kill us.”

“I do agree it has been rougher on our class than any other,” Fumikage said, “Studying… I keep losing my own concentration just on homework alone.”

“I hear the end of term will be ten times harder than mid-term,” Rikido Sato sighed.

Seeing their classmates so desolate, Hollow decided upon confidence and comfort, “You will all do wonderfully in the physical exams, at least, despite how tough they’ve been rumored to be.”

“I appreciate the encouragement but you’re not helping my confidence Holly,” Mina said in slight annoyance, “My grades aren’t the best.”

“Come on guys!” Izuku said, “Just try your best! I want you guys to join us in the summer camp!”

“If you guys attended classes like normal your grades wouldn’t be so low,” Said Shoto quietly, but loud enough for all to hear.

“Mind your words, Todoroki, you literally are 5th place for highest grades,” Denki complained.

“I can help you guys study!” Momo offered them, “I’m not too confident about the exercise test, but grades, I can help!”

“The highest person in the class offering? I can’t refuse that!” Mina said eagerly.

“Yes, please!” Kyoka agreed, nodding her head, “Help us stupid fools!”

Mashirao Ojiro, Hanta and Mina all collectively said, “Yes, please!”

“Do you mind if I join?” Holly asked Momo, “With such a workload, two to help would maximize the best results.”

“The first place and second place offering help? You guys are true heroes!” Said Mina.

Momo blushed, “Of course! We can make plans to meet at my house after school!”

They all exchanged phone numbers, and began a group chat.

“Any time works for me,” Holly said, “I cannot sleep, so it would not hinder my schedule.”

“Oh, if I didn’t have to sleep, I’d get so much more things done!” Denki lamented.

“You two are being so virtuous and sweet, it’s almost giving me diabetes,” Eijiro said, leaning onto Katsuki, “Unlike you, you sweet-smelling bastard.”

“I’ll make you study until you bleed,” Katsuki replied, voice a steady and angry line.

“Hell yes,” Eijiro agreed, “I need all the help I can get.”

It was lunch time now, later that same day. It was one of those days Hollow would prefer to walk around the school and find the ancient, hidden totems filled to the brim with Soul she could use later when they were in hero studies.

“How do you think we’re going to do in the exams?” Izuku asked Holly as they walked down the stairways to the cafeteria. He always wanted to follow her, and listen, like a lost, little ducklett. 

“We will pass,” Holly replied matter-of-factly, “We have some of the highest grades, and also some powerful Quirks.”

“I wish I could mimic your confidence sometimes Holly,” Izuku said, “Tests always make me a bit nervous.”

“I am not confident,” They replied simply, “I am not nervous, either.”

“Oh. Right. You know, no matter how much you tell about it, it’s still hard to believe!”

“Well, just because I have none, doesn’t mean you don’t. And you deserve courtesy and respect, Deku. The emotions you feel are normal for a human, and as someone in your society, I will respect that. If you would like to join our study group, I am certain Momo wouldn’t mind.”

He blushed a little as they passed a Soul totem, and Hollow whacked it with the extendable yardstick she carried, the Soul absorbing itself into her.

“I’m OK studying by my-” Izuku seemed to bump into someone. “Oh, sorry!” He apologized quickly, “I didn’t mean to bump into you, sorry, sorry!”

“You’re the guy who faced off against Hero Killer Stain, right? And you’re the bug too?” Hollow recognized the boy from class 1-B, Neito, they were sure his name was.

“Not this again,” Izuku sighed.

“It doesn’t matter if that’s a rumor or a fact, either way, class 1-A’s popularity has risen again,” the cocky blonde chuckled, then sarcastically remarked “One day your class will attract so much attention they’ll all die. Then class 1-B will finally get some recognition.”

“We already have 3 casualties,” Hollow said darkly, “It wouldn’t be so wise to want the spotlight so bad, for you yourself may end up 6 feet under.”

A big hand came and hit the blonde in the back as Izuku let out a startled noise. 

“Monoma, stop teasing them,” A redhead from the same class sighed at him, then smiled at the pair, “I’m sorry, he can be such trouble sometimes! “ She smiled at them, “I couldn’t help but overhear you guys talking about the test? It’s always robots, that’s what some of the upperclassmen say.”

“You weren’t supposed to tell them,” Neito gasps from the floor. 

The redhead made her hand giant and picked him up. “We don’t all hate you guys, just to let you know. Monoma is just a bit too cocky for his own good.”

Hollow bowed. “I do not hate you either! Good luck on your exams!”

She laughed at them, walking away.

Back in class, Izuku told them all what they’d be facing: Robots.

“Oh thank gods,” Mina exclaimed happily, “I won’t have to adjust for human opponents.”

“Rather useless for me when my Quirk works best against actual, live opponents,” Hitoshi said, sinking into his scarf, “Best I could do is knock a couple together and that’s about it.”

“Well, I don’t care about who the hell I’m fighting, since I’m going to be blowing you all away!” Katsuki declared, then turned to Izuku, “Unlike the Sports Festival, I’m going to beat you and prove I’m the best one here! You guys may have gotten the surprise on me, but now that I know better, you’re going to get your asses kicked! Especially you Deku, I’m going to kick your ass!”

“It’s been a while since you’ve gotten riled up and angy,” Eijiro said playfully, “Wittle angy Bakugo?”

“Your animosity is going to get the better of you,” Fumikage said.

Katsuki growled at them, grabbed his bag and stomped out of the classroom, clearly riled up.

“Perhaps he’s a bit too competitive for his own good,” Hollow sighed to feign impatience.

“Sometimes I swear he’s getting worse, sometimes I think he’s getting better,” Shoto agreed, “I think you’re right about being a bit too competitive. These are just final exams, after all.”

* * *

After school, Yaoyorozu collapsed on her bed at home, but she was also brimming from excitement. Tonight they will begin the studying sessions! She felt honored that her classmates would choose her to help them study.

An ounce of worry filled her. Holly would be there. She tried to keep it to herself, but she always thought the strange little bug was better than her in many ways when she received a text from them. First to arrive.

Trying to pump herself up, Yaoyorozu ran to the front steps in record time to greet them.

“Hollow!” Yaoyorozu greeted.

The bug matched her excitement, mimicked her. Yaoyorozu noticed they started to act nervous too, copying their body movements, letting out a nervous smile.

“You don’t have to copy me, you know,” She said, “I know that...well, my parents say that you’re a husk of a person.”

Immediately, as if a spell was broken, they fell into neutrality. It was slightly creepy in a way. She didn’t expect her parents to be _right_ about that, after meeting her, and seeing how full of life she could be from a distance. Yaoyorozu had heard from her classmates that Hollow faked their emotions, but they never spent enough time around them to realize that was true.

“I can see it makes you uncomfortable, Momo,” Hollow said, almost immediately resuming the act, this time acting quite shy and unsure, “I do not wish to make my host uncomfortable. It would be rude of me to knowingly do that.”

If you were observant enough, you could see how easy they shifted between emotions, how good they were at reading the room and putting on the best action for it. It was something that took years upon years to master, but it wasn’t quite perfect, it wasn’t quite _human_. There was still a breath of otherness that was on a better display after seeing this neutrality. Yaoyorozu felt a little jealous of this, because no emotions meant there was no head to lose in high-tense situations. No fear to feel in the face of death, not like Hollow could really die anyways. 

Yaoyorozu sighed. “Why’re you helping when you don’t care about anyone?”

“To play the act,” They said truthfully, “To help the layers of disguise. And, if I’m becoming a hero, improving this society, why wouldn’t I help the fellow heroes? It’s the definition of a hero, the description. To be helpful.”

“Don’t even have an ounce of kindness in that heart of yours?”

“There is no cruelty within either. Pure, unabiding neutrality towards all.”

The doorbell rang again. Yaoyorozu paused, then glanced back at the bug, who looked on shyly, “I promise, my only motives are to help you all study. And to see your study habits. I do wish to improve how to study, is all.”

Everyone else admired her house, while she tried to downplay it. Maybe Hollow lived in a big mansion too? It would make sense, Hornet was so famous.

Yaoyorozu, after seeing her fellow recommended student get adjusted to the social situation, realized there wasn't an ounce of ill-will within the bug. She felt her shoulders relax as they let her take the reins on teaching them, Hollow only showing them how to note in their fast way of scribbling down things so accurately and quickly. It was as effective as could be, with such fast note-taking skills from the others, she could re-word lessons and help them learn.

And it filled Yaoyorozu with utter joy.

* * *

The week passed. Everyone studied in their own ways, some thinking about studying and procrastinating only to cram, some dutifully studying the entire week.

Testing day arrived. It was a day dedicated to just taking the written tests. Some of Class 1-A shook in nervousness, others unaffected. Still some drank so much coffee it could give them a heart attack, because their sleepless night of nerves kept them up. Class 1-A was the class that lived through the worst attack on the school, the class that lost so many to no fault of their own, and it was the exams that frightened them the most.

Shaking, waiting on the results, they were all sent home for the weekend. Monday: It was the physicals.

“Now, get into your hero costumes and meet me on training ground Gamma,” Mr. Aizawa tried to not yawn that early Monday morning once everyone was there, "It's time for the physicals."

They all steeled themselves in different ways. Suiting up seemed to calm some of them down. They were good with their Quirks. No, excellent. Maybe on par with the upperclassmen. 

There’s a lot of teachers outside with Mr. Aizawa, as Class 1-A stands nervously. Mr. Aizawa is proud of his class, for passing their writtens, although that was yet to announced to them. He felt confident they would be up to stuff for the physicals, knowing all they’ve been through.

“Without a doubt some of you have an idea of what the practicals have in store,” He said, and the class’s eyes lit up.

“Robots!” Kaminari and Ashido excitedly exclaimed.

Mr. Aizawa couldn’t help but smile, just a little. He felt the principle move from under his scarf, and pop out.

“Actually, no!” The class was started as Nezu jumped on his head, “This year we’re not doing robots! With the recent surge of villains, we thought it would be appropriate to increase the quality of our battle simulations! U.A. students will be having battle simulations similar to real life battles; You, Class 1-A will be the first students who will have real-life battle simulations! You will all be forming pairs and facing the teachers!”

He knew they would all be shocked, and they were. Some of them went pale at the idea, using their Quirks against people. It would have to be part of their jobs on day, so they would have to get used to it now. He noticed Shinso breathing a sigh of relief. He let out a chuckle. Of course he would be relieved to be against real opponents.

“Your pairs have been picked already! So don’t go looking around each other!” Nezu said.

“You will all be transported by UA’s buses to the uninhabited training grounds where your tests will take place,” Mr. Aizawa said, “These are your win conditions: each pair must either handcuff their assigned teacher,” he held up the handcuffs, “or one of them must escape the battlefield. The two optional win conditions must be accomplished within 30 minutes. By accomplishing one of the win conditions, the pair will win and pass the test exercise.”

“Don’t worry!” All Might, of course, interrupted him, “We’ll all be weighed down by these bracelets, to give you a fair chance!” He flashed the incredible heavy, weighted bracelets.

Mr. Aizawa took out the sheet of paper with the assigned pairs. They had all been carefully considered based on how each other got along, and their power sets.

He read aloud the pairs, watching carefully each other their reactions. He was mildly annoyed at whoever drew up the paper, using all of their first names. First and last names! God, the secretary was a Bug, but they knew almost all humans had two names. He didn’t feel like correcting it when announcing them out loud. 

_Cementoss versus Rikido and Eijiro_

_Present Mic versus Koji and Kyoka_

_Ectoplasm versus Fumikage and Tsuyu_

_The Principal versus Hollow and Mina_

_Midnight versus Ochaco and Hitoshi_

_Thirteen versus Hanta and Denki_

_Snipe versus Mezo and Mashirao_

_Eraser Head versus Shoto and Momo_

_All Might versus Izuku and Katsuki_

Of course, he noticed, young Midoriya went pale at the prospect of facing All Might. He knew Katsuki well enough now that he was trying to hide his own nerves by acting like a cocky little shit as well.

“All right, let’s stop wasting our time,” He said, heading towards one of the many busses, “Todoroki, Yaoyorozu, come on.”

Everyone began to split and go to the assigned buses. The physicals had begun. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, FYI, those who actually get the honor of being getting at least a nice chunk, if not a whole chapter, to themselves  
> The Principal versus Hollow and Mina   
> Midnight versus Ochaco and Hitoshi  
> Eraser Head versus Shoto and Momo  
> All Might versus Izuku and Katsuki  
> While the latter 2 didn't change, I changed enough about the characterizations and backstories that I felt like they warranted a full viewing of what happens XD The settings won't change. Thinking of giving Present Mic versus Koji and Kyoka a tiny showing, but ultimately I probably won't since, while in the fake forrest, it's well away from the Abyss to not affect them. So probably not.
> 
> This one was hard figuring out who to pair with who. I was going to go Ochaco x Holly but then I thought "But what about MINA" and now I can't stop thinking about how cool that would be XD  
> Hope you guys enjoyed, thanks for commenting as always <3  
> See you in the next update :D


	34. Stripping the Varnish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The practicals begin! Holly gives Katsuki a pep talk, knowing that if she doesn't, he's going to screw this up. It goes as well as she expected it to with such a touchy subject for him.  
> Holly and Mina take on Nezu, and it goes better than expected, but ends worse than you might think. Shoto and Momo face Mr. Aizawa, and their teamwork makes their teacher nearly brim in pride for them. Meanwhile, Shinso decides that he doesn't want to play therapist with Uraraka. He really just wants to pass.

“You’re not weak for asking for his help.”

Katsuki was in a waiting room. There weren’t enough buses for all of them to be dropped off at their starting points, and it was this inconvenience that most partners should be talking strategy. Yet here was Holly, not doing that. Katsuki supposed he wasn’t either.

“The fuck are you talking about?”

“If you want to surpass All Might, there will be times that you’ll have to ask for help. And, for what it's worth, it doesn’t make you weak.”

He scowled at her, then grunted in discontent. She went over and sat by him, that little flash of light going off before she put a clawed hand on his shoulder.

“Someone who’s at level 1 will level up faster than someone who’s level 50.” She said, “The experience gains are different.”

It was as if she crushed something in his chest. He glared and growled. Why the fuck did she have to go and be right about this?

“I’m not going to be asking him for any help,” Katsuki spat.

“Then live with the fact that you’ll fail this test against someone who is level 100,” Holly said, a hint of disappointment in her voice. 

He turned to the cute little bug in her hero costume. What the fuck? She was breaking his heart, but in a different way. Holly was so right that he wanted to reject it, to pretend nothing was said.

“You can be a fucking bitch sometimes when you’re right,” He spat at her. If her presence didn’t automatically calm him down, he would be spitting curses and screams. As it was, whenever she sat, all he could feel was ease. Safety. A good place to plan the next move, a nice bed to rest in. That’s what it always felt like, when Holly sat down to rest and you were near. If you listened closely enough, it was as if you could hear a distant, safe melody.

Holly didn’t answer him, just touched his cheek gingerly, and took it away. 

Katsuki let out an exaggerated, irritated sigh. “Fine. Fuck him and fuck you, but fine.”

Holly let out a chuckle, then took his hand, “You’re changing for the better, and I, for one, am proud.”

He was too irritated at her rationality, so he grumpily shook her off. His chest ached, and he hated that his teachers would pair him with Deku off all people. Why not with someone Katsuki _actually_ would like to partner up with? Yeah, OK, he was slowly warming up to that asshat again, but when it came to hero shit…. That made his blood boil to no end. How fast Deku was catching up to him.

 _Someone who’s at level 1 will level up faster than someone who’s level 50._ Jesus, that was such a good way to put it, he’d have rather been slapped in the face. 

“You’re worthwhile to me, no matter how you do.”

“Are you going to keep striking me with such wholesomeness that I’m gonna die of diabetes?!” He nearly yelled at her, his chest feeling like it was being carved out with a knife from a combination of guilt and love.

“Whatever it takes to help you, Kacchan.”

If he was allowed to kiss her here, he could. But she wore a mask that prevented him, and he didn’t want anyone walking in. So Katsuki took to groaning and flopping onto the rest of the bench. Good timing, as the buzzer sounded. The buses were ready.

“Break thy legs,” Holly called to him as they parted.

“Yeah yeah,” He moaned, but was glad for her encouragement.

* * *

Mina Ashido was feeling very confident as they were placed in the starting point of their zone. It was the zone where the power plant was, or a mock one. It was industrial. 

“Are you sure of your plan?” Hollow asked her again, looking around in their new surroundings.

“Of course! You’d be able to escape much faster alone!” Mina replied, “I can’t climb anything. I take more after humans than bugs.”

“Why not use your acid to create holds to climb on?”

Mina sighed, “That’s a good idea, but our practical exams aren’t the place to try that sort of thing.”

Her fellow bug nodded thoughtfully.

The buzzer sounded for them to go, and immediately Hollow began to climb up. Mina decided that she should try as well, but her acid slid her down to the bottom. Not good when it comes to collateral damage either. 

“It’s OK Holly!” She called, “Go on! I’ll see if I could locate him!”

Holly nodded, then charged up those deep black crystals and was gone.

Mina sighed, and looked to where she had been. She was glad Holly was gone, as she began to jog through the maze-like factory. They didn’t know this, but Mina’s family would go to the Temple of the Black Egg sometimes and pray to the Hollow Knight. It made it awkward for her when she found out Holly was raised by Hornet, another one her family considered a deity. Moreso that they saw Holly as another one. As a half-breed, and her classmate, Mina didn’t really believe it. But she could see where they were coming from, with how powerful her partner was. Less educated might mistake her for a Higher Being, with how Holly could both emit a glow and suck out the light around her. It took Mina a long, long time to realize that those who weren’t even a drip part bug could even notice it, unless it was pointed out. 

“I guess none of that really matters now,” Mina muttered to herself as the walls began to crumble, Nezu’s crazy voice filling the factory.

Holly was knocked out of the sky swiftly by a crane, feeling themselves take massive damage as they hopped onto another roof. Nezu was using a wrecking ball, beginning to destroy the place. He noticed her, and was trying to stop her.

Holly dodged the incoming ball as it smashed the building next to them. Swiftly using their wings to propel themselves forward they ran, dashing as much as possible. No time to charge the Crystal Heart when there was a giant wrecking ball right behind you.

They ducked it as a piece of debris hit her again. No time for healing as it came back again, but they let the ball hit her forward, towards the gate. They used those precious seconds of invincibility to get more forward.

They were hit with one more piece of debris. Hollow felt that one more hit, and they’d be done for, as orbs began to surround them, their hold on the Shade so very thin. In a last, crazy act, perhaps knowing they couldn’t die, Nezu slammed the wrecking ball down as Hollow dashed through the exit. The buzzer sounded, announcing their victory.

Hollow tried to heal themselves, but their Shade’s agitation at being so close to release, they let out too many Shade Soul attacks instead. So they opted for laying down, concentrating all of their energy at containing the Shade, unknowingly passing out in the process.

* * *

Hitoshi Shinso cut off a piece of his scarf, handing it to his partner to wrap around her face. 

"Maybe this will serve some protection," He said.

The landscape was mostly barren, with some rocks you could hide behind. From where they were they could easily see the exit.

"If you make yourself weightless, I can throw you towards the exit," he said, "We just have to get closer first."

"Do you think your scarves will offer that much protection?" She asked him.

He shrugged, "Better than no protection, right? Besides, you can breathe through them easily enough."

The buzzer sounded, and the pair began walking towards the exit, eyes going this way and that, watching out for Midnight and her sleeper gas.

"Hey, can I ask you a question?" Uraraka asked him.

He sighed, but decided to go with it. "Yeah, sure, go ahead."

"Do you think Deku has a crush on Holly?"

Well, already he was not on board with this shit. Not during his final exam. 

"What made you think _I_ have _any_ idea on that shit? Or had any shits to give about that bug?" He replied.

"Well, you both interned at Hornet's agency..."

"So?"

"Sooo..." She blushed and looked behind her.

"Just focus on the exams."

"Right! Sorry. I don't know what got over me."

"Look, there's Midnight!" He said, as the R-rated hero began to approach them. They were closer to the exit now.

"Make yourself weightless, hurry up," Hitoshi began to sing, " _Midnight, deadlight, what can you hear? Fall on your knees before you get near!_ "

The R-rated hero smirked, and Hitoshi realized that she had covered up her ears. She couldn't hear them, but that meant she couldn't hear what they were planning.

"I'm weightless!" Uraraka said, beginning to float up. 

Using his scarf, he grabbed her. Hitoshi began to run as pink mist surrounded them. He stopped to hold his breath, the scarf making a nice filter as he threw Uraraka through the exit, sending her flying. Midnight tried to catch her with her whip, but using the other side of it he grabbed her arms, letting his partner successfully fly through the exit like a speeding bullet.

The buzzer sounded, and he smiled. "Yes!" he cheered softly to himself, very proud they were able to pass. 

Midnight took out her earplugs, smiling at them. "I half expected you both to go down, but using your scarf to filter out my Quirk was a good idea. So was tossing her for help. You both did excellent jobs and passed the practicals."

"Thank you!" He eagerly said, "This calls for a nap." 

The mist was still surrounding him, so Hitoshi just exposed his mouth and inhaled. Midnight exclaimed in surprise as Hitoshi now willingly allowed himself to be knocked out.

* * *

Todoroki felt so naked without the Grimmchild hovering over him and cooing. It was determined however by their teacher that he would be having to do without the Charm summon, since Grimmchild could just teleport him instantly to the gate. He needed to prove he could do it with his own merits.

They were in a residential area, at a starting point somewhere far away from the escape gate. Mr. Aizawa was somewhere else.

“It’s our turn now,” Todoroki said, looking over to Yaoyorozu. She had changed her hero costume, and it was updated in time for the new finals. All that changed really was now she was in a sport’s bra, bright red like her last costume, as well as running shoes and knee and elbow braces. Todoroki thought it supported her better, since now she had her entire stomach, sides, and much more of her back exposed to allow for a wider array of objects to come from anywhere. She looked more comfortable in this costume as well.

“It’s our turn now,” he said, but she didn’t seem to respond. “Yaoyorozu?”

She gasped, snapping out of her thoughts.

“What’s wrong? Are you nervous?” He asked.

“Oh. No,” She replied.

He turned away, looking in the distance. “It’s OK. With our opponent I wouldn’t blame you. Don’t worry, I have a plan in mind for us.”

“Uh-” 

The buzzer sounded, and a robotic voice told them to begin.

The pair dashed to an alleyway. 

“You were about to say something?” Todoroki could almost feel Grimm’s encouraging words, to bring out a performance, a show. But this was her show as much as it was his. He had to admit he wasn’t the best at planning things out ahead, and that he considered her so much better at it than he was. 

Yaoyorozu looked hesitant.

“Spit it out already, I’m not that good at planning ahead,” He said a bit too harshly, “I voted for you as class rep because I thought you were good at leading. So lead me, Yaoyorozu.”

There was a small blush on her cheeks, as if she couldn’t believe what he was saying.

“Right, I think we can capture him,” She quickly said, as they ducked between another alleyway, “His weakness! Since he was injured, his Quirk has become unstable!”

“Because of what happened at the USJ?” He replied, “So we’re going to exploit that.”

“Yes! He hasn’t been able to use his Quirk for so long, and he’s blind in the right eye! So we have quite a few advantages.” From her own body she started to make little dolls. It was a good idea, in case their teacher jumped them while they were talking, trying to get closer to the gate.

“It’s a matter of timing, we need to let him find us.” She explained his plan further to him, and he was amazed at her level of strategy. But Yaoyorozu was recommended, just like him. He expected nothing less. 

“That’s an amazing plan,” He said, as they began to step into the open, “Let’s do it.”

“You think so?” She blushed, but she wasn’t even winded from their running.

Why do girls blush so much? If he didn’t know better his guess would be from exertion, but she just...was blushing so much. Almost like Midoriya when he was praised.

“Of course I do,” He replied, trying to not fumble with his words as he did his best to try to be encouraging. “I was just going to have you run to the gate while I tried to handle him.”

At this she laughed. Hearing it, it did sound a bit ridiculous. He couldn’t really do much Quirkless, and Mr. Aizawa could fight with such smoothness with that capture weapon of his it was almost uncanny.

“Really? That was your plan?”

“Like I said, I’m not really good at this sort of thing,” Now it was his turn to blush.

It seemed as if some sort of confidence was now restored in her, something he hadn’t noticed had been gone. Again Yaoyorozu laughed at him.

“You’re not serious?” She chuckled, “That’s like...the worst plan.”

“Like I said, I’m not really good at that sort of thing,” Todoroki prayed for Mr. Aizawa to come and find them already. He suddenly felt like hiding.

“You’re not making dolls,” He gasped, noticing how they weren’t coming out of her body anymore.

He dodged as a scarf came down at them, trying to summon his cancelled Quirk.

“Pretty good kid,” Mr. Aizawa encouraged, sending another flying scarf his way, “Focus more on evasion, since I cancelled your Quirks.”

“Todoroki!” Yaoyorozu called in warning, and he swiftly shut his eyes tight.

A flash went off. 

“Come on!” He felt her grab him by the arm and pull him forward

Mr. Aizawa blinked with his one eye at the pair who ran away. A good first move, he thought to himself, taking out the eye drops and applying it. Not good enough, as he quickly began leaping back to telephone cables, running after them.

He cancelled their Quirks again. They all knew they didn’t stand a chance against him in a head-to-head fight, even with one eye. He tossed down his scarf, willing himself not to blink, but he did.

A giant ice wall blew him backwards, and he leapt onto one of the rooftops. Todoroki’s biggest move. 

Mr. Aizawa smirked. They were waiting for this. They took advantage of their opponent. Hit him where it hurts. 

The escape gate was behind him. It would be better to sit tight and watch what would happen. 

He wondered what they would do. Mr. Aizawa knew that Yaoyorozu’s confidence was shaken up, being defeated like that to Midoriya from the festival. Not quite broken, but it needed to be rebuilt. He’d have to help her regain that somehow during camp. For now, though, that wasn’t his job. At least Todoroki finally seemed to get the memo of teamwork, and acknowledging his weaknesses: an overreliance on his Quirk, and not planning too far ahead. 

He was a bit eager to see their plan.

From a bit to the right, he saw the figures running away in black cloaks. Disguises. 

He stood up quickly, jumping. He couldn’t use his Quirk against them since he couldn’t see them, but that meant they were at a disadvantage too. He threw his charm at them, the scarf going forward quickly, grabbing them. He quickly realized they were dummy props being held up as Yaoyorozu hit the switch on the catapult that held what looked like another scarf of his.

He jumped backwards, thinking Todoroki would freeze him in place. Was this their diversion?

Todoroki lit himself on fire as the material began to dance around him, then bound him tightly. He let out a surprised noise, not expecting this from the pair. But a burst of fatherly pride towards the youngsters and this plan, and how smoothly it went as Yaoyorozu told him of nitinol alloy, the metal with shape memory. Well, wasn’t that impressive?

They quickly cuffed him, and with that the buzzer sounded in victory for them.

“It went exactly as you planned,” Todoroki told her, “Honestly, it was a little too smooth.”

“Honestly, it shouldn’t have worked out.” She looked downcast, like she was beating herself up on her _success_ , “When I was about to trigger the catapult, I made a big mistake. Mr. Aizawa noticed, but still jumped away. Even though he could have stopped me easily. I think he let us capture him on purpose.”

Mr. Aizawa closed his eye again, to let it better rest, listening to her. He decided to correct this mistake.

“I was trying to see what Todoroki would do,” He told them, “You were in my sights, but he was still under the cloth, remember? I thought he’d try to freeze me. So I decided it would be best for me to back off.” He opened his eye, looking at them proudly, “In doing so, it looks like I played right into your hands.”

Todoroki sighed, “It looks like it really was just a matter of timing, just like you said. Thanks, teammate.”  
Yaoyorozu put a hand over her mouth, tears in her eyes. 

“What’s wrong? Do you feel sick?” Todoroki asked her.

“No, it’s nothing, really!” She sobbed, sounding very sick.

“If you feel nauseous there’s a pressure point you can press on-”

“No, I told you, I’m fine!” 

Mr. Aizawa resisted the urge to smile at Todoroki’s very pathetic attempts at comforting his teammate. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> None of these boys seem to be ANY good at feelings. Which, is like, MY JAM. These badasses and when it comes to feelings they fumble and fall. 10/10  
> Hitoshi is now just basically that one kid who never seems to get enough sleep, and is just already done with everyone's shit. XD I love it.  
> Most of these were pretty short, since they were really straightforward. Am I making Uraraka a bit lovesick? Yeah, but god a lot of people obsessed with their crushes when I was in high school. I think she's barely on the point of "too obsessed" and will need a good reality check sooner or later. Ah well, save that for CAMP. 
> 
> And since Mina is paired with Holly, yay, they pass! :D  
> Next chapter: All dedicated to our two boys. Yay.  
> Also, I have no idea what to title this chapter someone help me. I just named it after one of the episodes in the Anime in the end.  
> If you wanna see what I think Momo's new redesign may look like, I based it off of this (and it looks way better in my opinion): https://twitter.com/_lwzgl/status/1086330141913997313 ) You're going to need to copy-paste that haha XD


	35. Reluctantly Winning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katsuki doesn't want Izuku's help, but Holly's words make his blood boil in guilt. So he reluctantly plans with Izuku, talking in a language All Might can't understand as they do their own final exams.

The bus ride was clearly making Izuku extremely nervous, Katsuki noticed, as they sat across from All Might. All Might didn’t say anything from them, but of the pair that was sweating bullets, it was Izuku.

“We did not get a chance to form any type of plan,” Katsuki said in High Bug, watching All Might carefully. Could he understand him? He remembered that Holly once said that you could only learn the language as a child, because otherwise the brain wouldn’t develop the ability to even comprehend it.

All Might, for all he was worth, still wore a huge smile, but looked ahead, not looking at the pair.

“OK, well, we should run,” Deku replied in the language. It was obvious he was a nervous wreck.

“And I agree,” Katsuki said, an edge of sharpness in his voice, “Although, he probably figures we are going to run.”

“I do not think he understands us.”

“Does it matter? Anyone would, he is All Might.”

Deki looked at him, almost surprised.

“What? You think I would try the number one hero?” Katsuki let out an annoyed  _ tch _ , “I am not ready. But I will surpass him. For now, I am going to win the test by choosing to run.”

High Bug made it so formal, talking to Deku. A forced politeness he didn’t have the patience for, but was forced to have. The language didn’t have curse words or compound words, weirdly enough. Just clicks and high-pitched squeaks, mixed with growls. It was an odd, if not beautiful, language.

Deku smiled at him. Agh! How annoying! His level of skill shook Katsuki in a different way, and the confidence he was building as well. When did he get so damn good? And strong too?! He remembered Holly’s words about their different level sets, and, away from the natural calm she brought, he shook. But Katsuki couldn’t dismiss how stupidly right his partner was.

You couldn’t yell in High Bug, or the words you said would mean something different. 

“Stop smiling at me like that! We are going to run!” Katsuki snarled instead, “And I came up with that idea, so do not say otherwise!”

Deku’s grin almost grew smug, and Katsuki whacked him.

“Stop fighting,” All Might told them sternly, “We’re not even there yet!”

“Sorry,” Deku said in their normal language.

Katsuki huffed, then looked away, annoyed at both of them.

They were placed in a starting place that looked like a cityscape. False skyscrapers and small shops surrounded them, as All Might was hidden away. Katsuki figured his idol was guarding the exit.

“We should duck in an alley,” Deku said in High Bug, the horn sounding.

Katsuki walked forward.

“Kacchan!” He trilled, annoyed, grabbing his arm.

Katsuki brushed him away, “What is it?”

“We should hide! He will see us from here!” Deku was beginning to glow green electricity that sparked all around him, making him glow.

“Do you think he can see us from here?” He growled, but since Deku was stronger, he was forced into the alleyway.

“I know he can!” Deku glanced over the wall now, eyes wide, dropping to a whisper, “For I can see him, at the exit, from here!” He pointed down the street, where it disappeared over the horizon, “He will hear us too if we do not keep our voices quiet!”

“You can see so far?” Katsuki asked, suddenly very curious. Deku was strong, so stupidly strong that he would break himself if he wasn’t careful. His moves mimicked All Might, maybe idiotically so.

An even stupider idea came to his head, but the way Deku was acting: he was telling the truth. Borrowed power… borrowed from who else but All Might himself?

The idea somehow sparked an inkling of rage in him, as he followed Deku up the building. As soon as he was at the top, he could see the exit. 

He shoved Deku, “Is your power his?!”

“Kacchan! This is not the time!” Deku cried, “Lower your voice! Calm yourself!”

“Goddamn it DEKU!” Katsuki screamed at him in their normal tongue, “You-”

He was interrupted when the entire city shook, sound waves blowing them both onto the ground. The building they were on top of began to tip like a domino. Deku grabbed Katsuki by the waist as they leapt back down to the street.

The winds just from him punching the air alone forced Katsuki low to the ground. His presence, a now evil, villainous smile on his face… By jesus fuck-him christ, All Might was goddamn intimidating.

The pair jumped up to flee, but Katsuki, being the slower of the pair, was grabbed. All Might held him by the face.

Not letting him even get in a word edgewise, Katsuki made his hands explode into All Might’s face in an effort to make him let go.

“A good attempt,” All Might coughed, and Katsuki’s eyes widened under his hand, “But not good enough.”

Katsuki was slammed into the ground, and stars floated into his vision.

“Kacchan!” Izuku screamed, and in an instant, All Might was behind him now.

Immediately, he was reminded of the Hero Killer Stain, and how scary it was to face someone who would kill him without hesitation. Izuku backed away, eyes wide.

“Come the FUCK on,” Katsuki apparently recovered, grabbing his arm and running. He pulled the pin on one of his arms, letting out a huge explosion. All Might stumbled back at the inflated explosion, coughing. Katsuki must’ve nailed his stomach.

Together they ran to where they now knew the exit was.

Izuku didn’t miss that the further they went towards the exit, the more damage there was to the buildings. The exit wasn’t more than a mile away, and they’d maybe only run 300 yards together before All Might came back at them.

“MOVE BITCH!” Katsuki used his Quirk, throwing him back when a second later All Might landed where he was, using a piece of fence, probably to pin him down.

“Your teamwork is good,” All Might let out a villainous laugh, “But I will defeat you both!”

“Fuck you, we’re going to win this fucking test, and you’ll be the one defeated!” Katsuki turned and exploded backwards as quickly as possible. 

All Might ran to him and punched Katsuki violently in the stomach, causing him to vomit as he was thrown back into the air. He landed on the ground, shaking as he tried to stand up, only to continue to puke.

“Shit shit shit!” Izuku muttered as All Might turned to him. Izuku did the dirtiest move in the book, and punched All Might right in his nutsack using as much force in his Quirk as he could.

All Might’s smile dropped a tiny bit as he let out a surprised cry. Izuku punched him in the stomach, right where he knew the injury was, and All Might began to cough and shake violently.

Izuku didn’t hesitate, now zooming towards his friend. 

“Are you OK?!” He asked, throwing one of Katsuki’s arms around his shoulder. 

“He got me fucking good,” Katsuki spat, trying to support his own weight. But his eyes were beginning to roll into his head, although it was obviously he was fighting hard against unconsciousness.

Izuku easily carried him forward, running as fast as he could. The exit quickly came into sight, and they had 15 minutes to spare, thank the gods.

“I’m awake now!” Katsuki yelled suddenly, pushing Deku off.

“OK, OK,” He replied quickly. He looked back and saw All Might beginning to get up, and run towards them. He pushed them both out of his line of sight. “He’s coming!”   
Katsuki quickly took off one of his grenade launchers and handed it to him, going back to High Bug, “Here! Distract him! This one is filled!”

“Just because I don’t understand you boys doesn’t mean I can’t hear you!” All Might was suddenly upon them once again.

Izuku jumped behind him as Katsuki ducked. He pulled the trigger, letting out another explosion to his face. All Might grabs it and effortlessly destroys it. He then punches Izuku so hard he feels his hips dislocate, the force throwing him onto a bus that was right next to the exit.

He tried to stand, but that action filled him with pain. He could do it, he could but…

He looked at Katsuki. All Might destroyed the other grenade launcher.

“You don’t need these now, do you?” All Might taunted him.

“You know All Might, I use those so I don’t fucking HURT MYSELF!” Katsuki screamed, now just letting out his own, huge explosions, no doubt hurting himself so Izuku could make a dash. All Might smashed him violently into the ground, and Katsuki stilled.

_ No _ ! Izuku thought to himself, the pain now fading away, glowing brightly in determination. Katsuki needed him, now!

One for All coursed into his veins, renewing his energy. He dashed forward.

“SMASH!” He screamed, going straight for All Might’s stomach a second time, causing All Might to cry in pain and drop to his knees. Grabbing Katsuki by the arms, with a single dash, they were both through the exit.

Adrenaline fading, but knowing that victory was theirs, Izuku collapsed right beside Katsuki.

* * *

“All Might, how could you!” Recovery Girl scolded him, “You dislocated Midoriya’s hips! And you broke dear Bakugo’s arms and bruised his stomach! You could have held back, you know!”

In his deflated form All Might sheepishly rubbed his head, “I didn’t want to go easy on them. And they weren’t no slouches either in that battle.”

“You didn’t have to hit them so hard!” Recovery Girl continued to scold, “This was their final exams after all!”

All Might looked at the pair, who were in medical beds, still passed out from their exams. He smiled at them.

“Well, I am surprised how easily Bakugo decided to cooperate with Midoriya. I knew he was mad at being paired up, but he swallowed his pride and passed with flying colors.”

“I don’t think anyone is that stupid to think they could face you, even with those weights bracelets!” Recovery Girl sighed, “Yours is one of two that made the competitors pass out like this with injuries.”

“Really? Who else got knocked out?”

“Little Hollow was after she and young Ashido passed their tests.” She pointed to a closed curtain, “She’s over there sleeping.”

That was news. He didn’t know Vessels could pass out outside of drugs and Dreamers. Nezu must have really taxed it then. But sleeping? From watching it grow up, he knew it never slept either. 

“Well, once they wake up, tell them how proud I am,” All Might coughed up more blood, “I should skedaddle before Bakugo sees me like this. I don’t think after those punches I can really maintain my form for the rest of the day.”   


“That’s what happens when he knows your weak points,” Recovery Girl teased.

“You never give me a break,” All Might sighed, leaving the room.

Izuku woke up, a familiar tune in his mind. He was in Recovery Girl’s room.

“You passed my dear,” Recovery Girl told him, “Don’t worry, I’ve relocated your hips and helped heal you. Just stay there until the IV is done so you have enough stamina to walk.”

“Can I watch the other’s exams?” He asked eagerly, the idea occurring to him. Watching how everyone else did would be super interesting!

The Recovery Girl laughed at him, “Oh no my boy! Everyone else is done!”

“Are we-” 

“Well, not just you two. One more,” She pointed to the closed curtain, “The source of such pleasant sounds. I never realized that was one of the aspects of her Quirk.”

As if on cue, Holly opened her curtain. She wasn’t hooked to anything, and was looking around.

“Did we pass?” She asked Recovery Girl.

“Of course my dear, you did wonderful!” Recovery Girl cooed, “Are you all better?”   


“Yes,” She nodded, “Apologies, but the mental tax of holding myself together for so long must have caused me to faint.”

“It’s OK,” Recovery Girl said, “Nezu wasn’t going easy on you either. Bless his soul, but I’m going to kill him as well.”

Holly smiled at her, then saw Izuku on the IV drip. Katsuki must have been next to him, as her eyes drifted to a halfway closed curtain.

“Did you pass or fail?”   


“Pass, thank gods,” Izuku sighed, then flopped backwards.

“Oh good! Kacchan finally swallowed some of that competitive edge of his!”   


“Trust me Holly when I saw he was still a little-” He glanced at Recovery Girl for a second, “He was a gem. Just a pure, crystal clear gem the entire time.”

Holly let out a giggle, and Izuku closed his eyes again. Well damn, he was more tired than he thought, as he fell right back to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MEANWHILE, WITH THE LEAGUE OF VILLAINS:  
> Everything goes literally exactly the same so I'm not including it.
> 
> Katsuki is much more cooperative here, since I've characterized him so differently so far. He is nicer to Izuku, after all, so it wouldn't make sense for him to reject all of his suggestions. However he is the first to suggest running, because...well he's no fool! XD He's gotten his ass beat by Holly before (which has perhaps given him the reality check his ego needed growing up) so he's not foolish enough to think he and Izuku could take on the Number 1. Not yet anyways lol. Still a bit of a little shit tho. It ain't Katsuki if he isn't a little shit. But he's our angy shithead :3
> 
> ALRIGHT YO, WE NEARLY DONE WITH THE EQUIVALENT OF SEASON 2!! One more chapter to go!! Excitement?? Yes I am!!! Seriously, CAMP TRIP BOOT CAMP?? HELL YEAH!! MORE SHENANIGANS AND MOST LIKELY CHILD MURDER LEFT AND RIGHT? 
> 
> Ugghh, as for the equivalent of episode 38 in the anime.... I won't include it. Call it laziness, but it would probably go very beat-by-beat, and so I'll just put a brief summary of what happens here:  
> BASIC SUMMARY OF 38 SO WE CAN JUST JUMP INTO CAMP:  
> League of Villains: basically argue, but newbies wanna follow Stain and Radiance because new world order and they could be useful. Tomura Shigaraki is a brat, but they all concede. Tomura plays nice and lets them be recruited.  
> Class 1-A: Everyone goes shopping, even Shoto and Katsuki. Uraraka tries to confess her feelings when she finds herself and Izuku alone, but runs away. Holly walks to a store to buy some supplies, quickly gets a sense of danger, seeks out friends. Meets with Uraraka, they find Deku who's basically nearly shitting himself trying to keep a cool head while having a "civil" conversation with Tomura. Tomura realizes why he hates Izuku and Stain: Both have connections to All Might, his natural enemy. Thanks Izuku for opening his eyes, considers just killing him quietly and running (at this point unaware Izuku is the next One for All bearer)  
> He backs off seeing the girls, and cops are called. Izuku is taken for questioning, mom picks him up. He and his mom have a moment. Izuku tells his mom he loves her, and she does too. Cue some cute diabetes as they hug each other and they have a cri.
> 
> OK, now that LET'S JUST GET TO SEASON 3 YO!! WE NEAR THE HALFWAY MARK OF MY STORY!! :DDDDD  
> Sorry for not including it but AAAHHH I'm too pumped for camp and might just get stuck here if I try to force myself to do it. Better than nothing I suppose XD


	36. Falling into the Kingdom's Edge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The class arrives at camp, and they meet the Wild, Wild Pussycats! Training begins immediately in the most unexpected way! Unfortunately for Holly, she ends up doing a different sort of training.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary for you fools who skipped the end notes last time XD  
> SKIPPED WHAT AMOUNTS TO EPISODE 38 BECAUSE I'M LAZY  
> BASIC SUMMARY OF EPISODE 38 SO WE CAN JUST JUMP INTO CAMP:  
> League of Villains: basically argue, but newbies wanna follow Stain and Radiance because new world order and they could be useful. Tomura Shigaraki is a brat, but they all concede. Tomura plays nice and lets them be recruited.  
> Class 1-A: Everyone goes shopping, even Shoto and Katsuki. Uraraka tries to confess her feelings when she finds herself and Izuku alone, but runs away. Holly walks to a store to buy some supplies, quickly gets a sense of danger, seeks out friends. Meets with Uraraka, they find Deku who's basically nearly shitting himself trying to keep a cool head while having a "civil" conversation with Tomura. Tomura realizes why he hates Izuku and Stain: Both have connections to All Might, his natural enemy. Thanks Izuku for opening his eyes, considers just killing him quietly and running (at this point unaware Izuku is the next One for All bearer)  
> He backs off seeing the girls, who can see something is wrong and cops are called. Izuku is taken for questioning, mom picks him up. He and his mom have a moment. Izuku tells his mom he loves her, and she does too. Cue some cute diabetes as they hug each other and they have a cry.

It’s 4 AM. The sun hasn’t even risen, and Izuku hadn’t gotten much sleep last night.

His mom, the greatest person he’d ever know, had packed him some mint tea to help him wake up this morning. It’s sharpness helped a little as he drank from the thermos, but his caffeine tolerance was now too high from the coffee he’d chugged to help him get through exams week. He wished it was filled with espresso, but his mom had forbade him from doing drinking any more after Recovery Girl told him a part of his carelessness was both lack of sleep and a near caffeine overdose. 

He appreciated his mom for helping him try to sleep for the trip, at least. They watched some movies and snuggled, and she stroked his hair in a way that always made him fall fast asleep, so it wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been if he tried to go to sleep on his own.

“All right, listen up,” Mr. Aizawa said as the last of his classmates finally arrived with their own bags for the camping trip, “It’s bug territory we’ll be going to for camp. You will be respectful and do as anyone in charge tells you. You don’t mess with bugs unless you want your ass kicked. Some of our guests might be bugs and they will put a beating on you if you do anything stupid.”

“I’m so excited for camp!” Uraraka slid next to Izuku as he took another gulp of the hot liquid.

He eyeballed her carefully. Yesterday, it seemed both she and Holly finally got along for one damn second to save him from that hand villain from the League.

“Yeah, I am too,” He said sleepily, “Sorry Uraraka, I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“Oh, I’m sorry!” That was new, he thought wearily as she seemed to stumble through her words. 

“No, no,” He shook his hand, “I just never got to say thanks. So, thanks.”

She blushed bright red, and Izuku wondered if Shoto was right on his crazy theory that human girls were a bit on the crazier side. The only two other examples to compare them to was Holly and Mina, since they were both bugs. Hornet didn’t count, as Shoto pointed out he only knew the heroic side, and that she might be more of a secondary guardian to Izuku than an acquaintance. He had to agree on that.

“Did I say something wrong?” He asked.

“No, just,” she turned away, then quickly ran on.

“I’m too tired for this,” Izuku sighed, picking up his duffle bag and tossing it in with the others.

A lot of others seemed to have the same idea as him, bringing in various cool and bright bottles of their own liquid gold. He walked onto the bus and flopped next to Holly, then leaned on her drowsily. That calm nothing instantly brought him to the brink of sleep. He felt her shift beneath him, as if she was leaning on someone else.

“Awww, you all look so cute!” He heard Mina’s voice say. 

The hands of sleep dragged him down as he could swear he heard Kacchan make some sort of snarky retort, and could smell his hand on the top of his head.

* * *

Hours later, Class 1-A was singing on the bus. Someone had brought a little radio, and they were all taking turns picking a song and singing along out of boredom for the trip they took.

Mr. Aizawa almost crushed it when Bakugo put on an explicit song and at least 3 others tried to belt out the curses, immediately telling them all he'd end the show if he heard something like that again.

While he didn't care about the curses themselves, he was supposed to discipline them anyways and set a "good example" when he knew it was music.

“Focus!” He shouted at them, but the entire class, now finally awake after hours of near silence sleeping, was excitedly chattering, “We’re going to be there soon.”

This seemed to bring up an even more excited vibe to the entire bus, as faces pressed into the window eagerly, talks of training and what kind of things they would be doing erupted. They had passed Dirtmouth hours ago, and it was nearly 9 AM now. 5 hours of being packed into a bus and driving with no stops would do that to kids, and he knew it happened every year, no matter how much he tried to tame their wild hearts.

Mr. Aizawa’s face was stern, but on the inside, seeing all his kids happy and excited to be heroes put a spark of joy in him. And then a wicked sense of dad humor went through him, knowing what they were about to do.

The bus stopped at the edge of a cliff. There was a black car to the edge of it, with a little fence.

“Alright, out,” Mr. Aizawa said, getting off the bus first.

The team that would be training them were there now, the Wild, Wild Pussycats. The class stretched their legs and looked around.

“This isn’t much of a rest stop,” someone said.

“You didn’t think we’d stop here so you all could stretch your legs?” He asked, as the car doors opened.

“Heya Eraser,” he couldn’t tell which of them said it, but they were always welcome to him.

“Long time no see,” Mr. Aizawa replied.

“Your feline fantasies are here!” The pro hero Mandalay stepped out and winked at the class, in her darker pink dress and brown hair, “Say meow!”

“Purrfectly cute and wild girls!” Pixie-bob jumped out with a sky-blue dress, also dressed as a cat, and waved her hands in a cat-like manner.

“You can call us the Wild, Wild Pusscats!” The both posed for the class dramatically, as Mr. Aizawa noticed a younger kid next to them in a spiked baseball cap, looking at them both as if he didn’t know what to do.

“These are the pro heroes you’ll be working with at the training camp,” Mr. Aizawa explained to the class.

“They’re a four person hero team who specialize in mountain rescues!” Midoriya said excitedly, turning to his classmates, “The Pussycats were founded when we were kids like forever ago! This marks their 12th year as-”

The Pussycats looked horrified at his words, and Mr. Aizawa chuckled as Pixie-bob grabbed his face, interrupting him.

“I’m pretty sure your math must be off!” she said, holding up a clawed paw threateningly, “I’m 18 at heart!”

“Understood,” he muttered feebly underneath her gloved hand.

“Everyone, say hello,” Mr. Aizawa told his class.

“Hello! Nice to meet you!” The rest of Class 1-A said.

“This whole stretch of land is owned by us," Mandalay said, gesturing over the cliff, "A bit of a history lesson! We're a bit beyond the Kingdom's Edge for the bugs, but our family owned this part of the mountain before bugs crawled out. The Pale King at the time let us keep it, even if it was just outside his Kingdom on the condition that we align ourselves with him, so our ancestors said yes. Now that we're called the Wild, Wild Pussycats, this is our training grounds!"

"You'll be training at the base of the mountain," Pixie-bob pointed at least 50 miles down the treacherous forest, at the base of the mountain.

"Huh? Then why did we stop here?" Uraraka asked curiously.

"You're going to be going the rest of the way there by foot, of course! You'll have to hurry if you don't wanna miss lunch!"

The class screamed suddenly as the floor itself threw them over the mountain.

“It seems as if I am the only one who passed that,” A neutral voice said.

"How did you not get thrown over?" Mr. Aizawa asked Hollow.

"Simple. I jumped."

He had a sneaking suspicion they did a bit more than jump, and knowing their Quirk, as well as how their uniform was now slightly dirtier, they had used their temporary invincibility to get past the tossing. Mr. Aizawa used his scarf to pick up the bug.

"Go join your classmates," he said, hearing them already beginning to fight past Pixie-bob’s monstrous creations. Mr. Aizawa threw them over the cliff and watched them scurry to catch up, disappearing under the trees.

"That's a strange one you have," Pixie-bob noted.

"Well, their Quirks are quite different," he smiled at the Pussycats, "Don't worry, they won't fall behind or get lost. That one is really good with directions."

* * *

Holly found themselves running to try and catch up with their classmates, seeing the branches ahead sway to and fro as they fought their way forward.

The ground beneath her shook suddenly, and they fell into a hole.

They landed with grace, then looked upwards. Quickly taking off their uniform shirt they jumped, using their wings at the peak to gain momentum to try and grab something, but the edge crumbled beneath their claws, making them fall back.

“Help me, Deku, Kacchan!” They yelled, raising their voice, “I’m stuck! Help!”

As they yelled they tried again, but the walls of this cave were too slick to grab purchase and so too slick to bounce off. Not like they had a Nail to use, as they'd packed it in their baf, and it was on the bus. All they had to defend themselves now was the Soul they collected beforehand to defend themselves, but they kept calling.

"Help me! Deku! _DEKU!_ "

* * *

Izuku kicked another of Pixie-bob’s creations of mud as he helped his classmates forward. It was obvious the creatures were directing them forward, and this was a test of endurance to get to the camp. He didn’t notice Holly getting thrown over with the rest of them, and assumed she passed the first of many tests and would already be at the camp by the time they would arrive, probably hours upon hours later. Then, faintly, above all the chaos, he heard it.

“Help me! Deku! _DEKU!_ I know you can hear me with your Quirk! It’s me! I’m stuck in a hole!” Holly’s voice was far away now. The entire class was at least 3 miles out from start, using their Quirks to fight through the monsters that continued to spawn.

He immediately turned to go back for her, feeling bad now.

“Midoriya!” Shoto called out, “Where are you going?”

“I can hear Holly from here! She’s stuck!” He replied.

“She didn’t even get tossed down the mountain with us,” Kacchan said, blowing up another monster, “You sure you didn’t get hit in the head?”

More monsters appeared, preventing him from going back to the start. But he could still hear her, calling out, an almost panicked, mewling voice.

But Holly doesn’t panic, he realized. Yet, it also occurred to him she might be trying to convey how dire her situation was, if she couldn't simply jump out or climb the wall to get out.

"Deku! Deku _please_!" 

"Come on big guy," Sue wrapped his tongue around his waist and propelled him back towards them, "you're going to make them make more if you try to go back."

"Izuku Midoriya! Help me! Please, help, help! It is I, Hollow! _I am trapped, help me, **please**!_"

His classmates all began to collectively get annoyed at how many monsters were generating by him going back. Dark Shadow, Sue, and even Momo with a rope, all collectively pulled him back, and even Shoto put up a great ice wall.

"It's Holly! I can hear her, she fell down a hole!"

"Are you sure?" Shoto asked, "I can't hear anything, and we both know she could crawl out any hole."

Izuku found that if he had to fight them, on top of the monsters, that it would be foolish. Guilt wracked him, but he apologized to them, helping his classmates defend themselves.

Her voice was silent now, as if it had given up.

* * *

The sounds of fighting faded slowly. Holly stopped calling after it muffled suddenly. Izuku perhaps could not hear her after all.

She spent the next 10 minutes trying to crawl out, but the roots would break under her weight, the edges always falling from her grip. 

Finally giving up, the pants they wore now utterly ruined and brown from the dirt, Holly looked around the little hole they had fallen into. It led to a deeper, and yet somehow better well lit-up cave. They walked deeper into it, and there were the bodies of the old King's guards. What they died of, she would never know.

Their Nails looked in good condition, and she took one, going back. With it Holly tried to parry off the sides, but all it succeeded in doing was pulling them more towards the center, no edges to grasp.

Deeper into the cave this time, they jumped down into the somehow lighter part of it. She recognized this place.

The Kingdom's Edge

Holly knew they could very well easily go back to the top of this hole, not quite crawl out, but they could come back.

Something beckoned them in, calling. The Shade curled curiously, so sheathing their new Nail, Holly dropped down. They couldn’t tell what compelled them to venture in, instead of wait. An investigation of something more. They needed to do this, they had to. No one would probably notice their absence anyways, and any punishment they may endure for this… well, Holly didn’t care anyway.

She bounced off of many ballooned up bugs that floated lazily up. Booflies, if they recalled what the species was called correctly. Landing by one, they asked for its help. But there was infection in its eyes, and it did not respond. It just stayed there, its mind long gone.

Holly continued down until she reached close to a pit of acid, and hopped deeper into the Kingdom’s Edge. She climbed up, noticed the ashy ruins and how different it was compared to the surface world. She was, perhaps, underneath the great mountain they had come across. It looked like the tunnels were carved out by some great worm as she cut down Hoppers, which could get tricky at times. But what nearly shattered her was those troublesome Primal Aspids, and how hard it was to cut them when they so nimbly flew away. Then they would spit 3 shots at once, and no matter how they dodged, one of their shots always managed to hit. Holly elected to just run from those cursed Aspids, and climbed up more.

Again, at the surface world, but it was at the top of this mountain, filled with ashy snow and bitterly cold. But there was a bench, and Holly sat down to rest.

If their internal clock was right, it had been only an hour. Leaving the tent, they found that the fog and wind would end up killing them before they could ever reach the base of the mountain. She searched the bugs' bodies, and their makeshift camp, but anything useful was too rusty and rickety. Even the sticks that held up the makeshift tent crumbled upon her touch. At least the bench was a welcome, quick rest. Going back into the cave, they went to the left, deeper and deeper. The dodged spikes that came down from the ceiling, and noticed that this cold, snow-like substance was more akin to ask then snow. 

Ahead of them, a familiar red dress and a needle. Hornet.

They paused for a moment and looked. Hornet stared back silently. Holly approached her guardian, but Hornet dashed away quickly. 

The wind picked up in the next room. They fell down, and approached Hornet.

She brandished her Needle. “So you'd pursue the deeper truth?" 

Holly nodded in reply.

"It isn't one the weak could bear," Hornet told them, "Prove yourself ready to face it. I'll not hold back. My needle is lethal and I'd feel no sadness in a weakling's demise. Show me you can accept this Kingdom's past and claim responsibility for its future!” 

Hornet attacked quickly, and Holly jumped over them. Hornet giggled, flinging her deadly Needly at Holly, stabbing her straight through the stomach. Not giving her a breath Hornet jumped at her again. Holly swung her Nail at Hornet, landing a few hits.

Hornet suddenly let out a flurry of silk, like that which shredded Iida's leg, and Holly released a few Shade Soul attacks at her.

Hornet was thrown back, but quickly jumped again and stabbed Holly in the shoulder.

"Get good!" Hornet taunted, hopping backwards and throwing the Needle. Holly dodged and got in a single heal, rolling as Hornet tried stabbing again. Their weapons clashed loudly, echoing off the caves as they cut each other.

Hornet hopped back, and both opponents healed themselves quickly. Hornet, with her experience, was faster at this, and Holly barely landed a hit before Hornet's needle jabbed where she had been a moment before.

Hornet waved the needle and spikes appeared over Holly. They swatted them away, going on the defensive as Hornet attacked them. One of the overhead spikes met its mark as Hornet's needle forced Holly into the spike.

But Holly took the time now to run through Hornet and hit her twice in the back.

Hornet giggled again and put up more spikes, but it was clear she was running out of breath, and silk. Hornet couldn't endure long battles without Soul to collect from your enemies, but Hollow had no Soul to collect from. 

Their weapons clashed again loudly, but Holly landed the final blow, and Hornet finally yielded.

Hornet was silent for a moment, panting, looking surprised and exhausted, “....So strong…” She looked Holly in the eyes, “But could you raise your nail once knowing its tragic conception? And knowing yourself?”

Holly nodded at Hornet, the call within them strong and compelling. They had to, they must! For what purpose, they couldn’t know for certain, but that it was right!

“Then do it, Ghost of Hallownest! Head onward. Burn that mark upon your shell and claim yourself as King.” Hornet let Holly pass, to answer what called her down and away from the hole she had fallen from.

The source of all the wind, of ash and dust. The mouth of a body, hidden within the mountain itself. It was forked, and its rotting ash was the source of all the light here. The body itself glowed in otherworldliness, this giant Wyrm. The half Charm Holly always carried with them seemed to almost react in recognition. They walked into the carcass, walking for several minutes down this giant, huge body of what was a bug.

No, this was The Wyrm. Hollow recognized it from history at school as they walked within the shell of it’s old body. The body of a Higher Being. Inside was a broken, old egg, and a single small part of it glowed.

Hollow touched it, and it jumped upon their forehead and branded itself deeply, a forked symbol slithering that burned for a moment. The King’s Brand marked itself on their shell, sinking and disappearing. The subtle glow that only bugs could see grew slightly brighter, so eerily similar to the old King’s.

 _Hollownest will recognize a new ruler. The kingdom’s gates will open._ A voice long dead whispered into Hollow’s mind.

The Vessel turned to leave, the call to this place leaving them. But it began to collapse within itself. Hollow charged up the Crystal Heart and tried to dash forward, but the old body finally collapsed in on itself.

The world went black.

Holly was saved by Hornet, who had jumped in and saved them at the last moment, placing them gently on the ground. Holly stood up and bowed at her guardian in thanks.

“Now that you have proven your worth, Ghost, how did you even get down here?” Hornet asked, “I expected you to have a hard time resisting, so close to your goals, but I did not expect to find you here so quickly.”

“I fell down a hole,” Holly spoke for the first time since they had fallen, “I can show you. Perhaps you could help me crawl out?”

Hornet nodded pensively, and followed Holly out of the Kingdom’s Edge, and killed every Primal Aspid they passed.

“What was Father like?” Holly asked her, and Hornet seemed to be startled they would even ask the question.

“Father,” Hornet looked pensive, “We had visits, when He had me and the Hollow Knight train together. He was distant. Not violent nor cold. He taught me about politics, but I never cared for politics. After the Radiance was sealed, He began to lose His mind. Then He and the rest of his most devout followers disappeared. I always assumed He died.” Hornet killed a Hopper, “I believe you when He is indeed dead. I did not know Higher Beings could not be killed until that moment.”

“Is that why the Hollow Knight did not kill them?”

Hornet sighed, “Indeed. The battle was the harshest, most brutal of all. Not most know, little Ghost, or there was much misinformation spread, but truly I tell you, it was merely a feud on how to rule. The Radiance wanted one thing, the Pale King, another. First it was Bugs, but then, humans gained powers. And they wanted it. A thirst to have it, to control it, to be worshipped for having the most power. They wanted to rule the world. I did not mark myself as King, for I believe absolute power like that corrupts absolutely. I do not want to rule; I wish to protect my people.” 

“Why would you let me, then?” 

“You do not appear to have a mind to corrupt. Yours is of two voids. And that double void seems to not be corruptible, breakable in any sort of way.”

The Vessel fell silent as the pair came upon the hole they had fallen in earlier. Hornet tried to throw her needle out, but it bounced off the rocks uselessly. Hornet let out an annoyed, surprised sound.

“Stay here little Ghost,” Hornet said, “I will go the long way around. If you are still here by the time I come for you, then I am pulling you out of UA. But I think they will notice now. How long has it been since you have fallen.”

“Perhaps 6 hours or so.”

“Goodness! They have noticed, then. If you are still here, I will fish you out myself! For now, wait. Someone will come for you, be it me or your teachers. But I beg of you to not tell them what has transpired in those hours.”

Holly bowed at Hornet, then nodded. Hornet turned and left, disappearing down the cave. Holly discarded the old Nail, throwing it further into the cave. The earth shook for a second, and the hole leading to the Kingdom’s Edge sealed itself.

Holly heard people calling out for her name. Again, she began screaming her location, calling for help, and beginning to once again try to crawl out, only to continuously fail.

* * *

It was mid-afternoon, 5 hours later, when Class 1-A finally seemed to break through the forest, exhausted and absolutely beaten.

“Welcome back!” A hyperactive woman with green hair in a bright yellow dress greeted them, “You’re a little over time and a bit late for lunch!” She scanned the students, counting them all up…. There were only 17 from Class 1-A that were here!

“Eraser Head!” The hyperactive woman said, “We’re missing a student! The one I said I couldn’t detect.”

From his tired, exhausted state, Izuku’s head suddenly shot up, and he looked back into the forest.

“Oh my GODS _I KNEW I HEARD HER_!” He shouted, suddenly powering up once again, catching a second wind.

Mr. Aizawa immediately took away his Quirk and caught him by the scarf. The rest of Class 1-A suddenly seemed to perk up at these words, surprised.

“Alright Midoriya, before you go running back there, what did you hear?” Mr. Aizawa said.

“Holly! She was screaming for help, that she’d fallen into a hole! I tried going back but,” He glared at his class, then at Pixie-bob for using her creations to force him forward.

Mr. Aizawa sighed while the rest of the Pussycat crew gasped.

“Well, that just won’t do!” Mandalay said, “But, we still have lunch out, despite how cold it is! Tiger!”

A dark, big, burly man with tiger stripes painted on him appeared, carrying some food. “Yes Mandalay?” 

“Let the students serve themselves! We have a missing student to find!” She turned to Mr. Aizawa, “Can we borrow him for a moment? Having super hearing will really help since Ragdoll can’t detect her.” 

Mr. Aizawa put down Izuku and he blinked, pouring eye drops into his eye generously. “Go ahead. I suppose it is our fault for not letting him run back. He probably knows where she fell too.” 

Izuku found himself blushing. He didn’t say he knew exactly where she fell, but he knew it was at least 3 miles from start and that she was probably hurt somehow. 

“Alright, let’s go Pussycats!” Ragdoll shouted happily, “Let’s find ourselves a little cute bug boy! Or girl?”

“They are genderless,” Some of Class 1-A said, looking towards the forest.

“Hey! I wanna find her too! I won’t eat until she’s safe and sound!” Katsuki shouted, “It ain’t like her to not be able to get out of some stupid hole!”

“Me too!” Momo said, “I can make nearly anything, we don’t know how hurt they are!” 

“The more eyes the better!” Shoto said, and his Grimmchild let out a happy, excited screech for more adventures in the woods.

Collectively, all of Class 1-A volunteered to go back to search for their missing classmate. If Holly goes without, so will they until she’s safe and sound. 

“Count us all in!” They all shouted to the Pussycats.

“You’ve got quite the class,” Pixie-bob smiled at Mr.Aizawa, “All right Class 1-A! First for boot camp! Rescuing a missing person! Last known location of the young bug known as Hollow as the starting point! Last heard location was in the woods!”

“Young Midoriya here tried to go back about 3 point 5 miles out from the start!” Ragdoll jumped up and down. “We’ll start from there! But we will walk back the way you came! If she manages to crawl back out, we will end up running into her!”

Everyone, spread out into a line!” Pixie-bob shouted, separating everyone about 12 feet apart, “Alright, I will lead the walk back! We will call out for her when we get close! For now keep your eyes peeled and wide!” 

“Yes ma’am!” Class 1-A shouted, and, with the Wild, Wild Pussycats in the lead, they all marched back into the woods.

It was a lot faster walking back than it was when they first went through. Those, like Izuku, who were more in the center, had a cleared way to the front. 

“We are about five miles from start!” Ragdoll called out.

“Callouts begin! We have not found the missing!” Mandalay commanded them all.

The class began calling out for their missing friend, not breaking rank, searching every which way. Izuku sighed, summoning his Full Cowl, listening.

“Holly! Holly it’s me, Deku!”

“Deku, Deku!” He heard her voice, feint, calling, “I am still here! Help me, help me!” 

He broke rank and ran towards her voice as it cried out for help. The rest of his class followed, even as the Pussycats tried to wrangle them all back together. 

He stopped at the very foot of a long, deep hole. 

“Deku!” Holly’s voice was filled with relief. She had taken off her shirt, and her pants were ruined. She tried to crawl up the sides and jump, using her wings to propel herself. Izuku reached out his hand to grab hers, but they just fell short, fingertips brushing each other. 

“The hole has widened every time I tried to crawl out,” Holly explained.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Izuku had to hold back tears, knowing everyone else was about to arrive. But they came out anyways, “I tried to come back, I really did, but I didn’t think you were- and there was-”

“Calm, Izuku,” Holly smiled, “You came.”

He smiled at her, because he was supposed to be a pro hero, and All Might never cried, he smiled.

She was the one in the hole and he was the one who was sobbing out his eyes.

“Careful!” Pixie-bob yanked him backwards, then looked down in the hole and whistled. “What a hole you fell down!”

“The earth crumbled beneath me.” 

“Don’t worry!” Momo suddenly threw down rope, creating it on the fly, “We’ll get you out of there!” The rope was longer than it should have been, as the Pussycats took a step back and let them save their classmate.

Holly made a noose, then stepped onto it. Izuku was able to pull her out, as he was the strongest in the class still. Shinso sent down his own scarves to help support, so if she fell again she wouldn’t fall. Katsuki immediately pulled her out as soon as she was safe enough, and the little bug was out of the sinkhole. 

Pixie-bob sealed up the sinkhole, “Congratulations! You all have saved your first victim!”

“Jeeze, you make her sound weak,” Eijiro rubbed his neck, “They weren’t even hurt.”

“They very well could have been!” Mandalay scolded, “Always prepare the worst! I would say this search party was a good one, and rather easy since we knew her location!” She turned to Holly, “Are you alright, my dear? You fell quite a ways down.” 

Holly bowed, “I am. I do not take fall damage.”

“Oh my!” Ragdoll said, “How interesting! You’re quite a little bug!”

Holly seemed to notice something, and Izuku turned his head as he traced her line of sight. Mina seemed to be absolutely dumbstruck, and so was Shoto. They were staring at her in awe.

He looked at Holly again. Nothing seemed to have changed. But she was good, extremely good at hiding things. Holly nodded her head once, and made a subtle hand motion. They nodded in understanding.

 _What’s going on between them?_ Izuku wondered as the class began to walk back towards the camp, now eager for lunch. This was...odd. Very odd. He didn’t even know Holly and Mina were really that close, aside from being the only bugs in the hero course. 

But he didn’t have time to ask as everyone filled in Holly on what happened, and even he started to apologize again and again when he had the chance, until she looked absolutely overwhelmed and insisted that they all stop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> END NOTES ALMOST FORGOT  
> So this is how Holly gets the King's Brand! Yay! Now  
> CAMP SHENANIGANS :D  
> I'm really excited for this arc, as you can see, haha! Next chapter: some shenanigans and training before the JUICY stuff begins!  
> Leave a comment, I love reading your guys's comments and thank you for always commenting! <3  
> Have a good day everyone <3


	37. Eating Gender for Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Holly comes up with the only lie to Shoto that she could think of: saying she's just in another part of her life cycle. He buys it, but little does anyone know, the Vessel could eat gender for dinner.

Class 1-B was already there when Class 1-A got back. That same blonde that had stopped Izuku before the exams was there again, making fun of them for being last.

It was like the class chose to not engage as they ate their now long-cold curry. They were twice tired from going up and down the mountain, unlike the more animated Class 1B.

Well, except for Katsuki, of course.

“Shut the hell up, we were doing a rescue exercise because we were here so early!” He shouted, although from his voice, and all of their scruffed, dirty uniforms, it was obvious he was tired too.

The redhead Izuku had finally found out was called Itsuka Kendo whacked him, and told him to leave them all alone. 

The Pussycats warned them all that this would be the only day that they would be well fed, as they would feed them dinner as well. For now, it was unpacking and settling in for the night. 

* * *

“Hollow, a quick question,” Pixie-bob pulled Holly aside as everyone began getting ready to seperate to relax into the hot springs, "What's your gender?"

"Incomprehensible. I am not old enough yet to have developed one."

"How old are you?!"

"Estimates put me around 14 to 16 years, give or take."

Pixie-bob looked at the young bug curiously, as if she couldn't decide what to do with them.

"I'm only asking kiddo because we have to separate males and females before they go into the springs, and, well," Pixie-bob tried to put it a different way, "You dress like a boy, your classmates refer you as female and as genderless, and your voice doesn't lean either way."

"If you need my medical gender, I am not an old enough bug to have begun to develop those yet. Henceforth I remain genderless. I am still, technically, a grub."

Pixie-bob sighed, "Alright, well, pick a side. We'll mark you as whichever you choose, and it'll be like that the entire time you're here."

"Male, then. I promise I won't bite any of them." Hollow made an attempt at a joke to ease Pixie-bob, giving them a feral grin. The Pro Hero just smiled at them and let them join the boys in the hot springs.

Shoto was staring at them again. As if he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Is something amiss?" they asked as they stepped into the pool with the rest of them, all only wearing a towel, relaxing in the hot springs.

Shoto let out a small blush and shook his head, "There's something...different about you. What happened when you fell into that hole?"

"Oh! I did not think humans would notice! I have begun the next stage in my life cycle!" Hollow put the excitement into their voice, the most blatant lie, "I have begun to develop a gender! To start the next stage and become an adult bug!"

Shoto squinted at them suspiciously, but their classmates overheard.

"Whoa Holly, an actual gender?" Izuku asked.

"Should we start correcting ourselves now that you'll finally grow a pair?" Eijiro teased.

Holly let out a pleasant, happy trill, "You can keep calling me whichever you prefer, but soon, I will have the capabilities of laying eggs! Or fertilizing eggs." They relaxed and spread out their wings, showing them off, "Can you tell what I might be based on them? Hornet said being half butterfly might hint at my gender."

The wings glowed, and, now still, they were a lot bigger than first appeared. They glowed as much as the hot springs, shimmering in the darkness, these torn, tattered monarch butterfly wings. The boys marveled at them, all coming closer at them. At all of this they stared Shoto dead in the eyes, and he seemed to buy the gender theory. After all.... she was genderless, and their age was unknown. For all anyone knew, she was on the right development track, a really late bloomer, or an early one. No matter how you sliced it, it was a good, perfect lie to explain whatever he now detected.

“Do butterflies even have genders?” One of the boys asked.

“I am not a pure butterfly,” Holly replied.

“Do you know what other bug you could be? Or are you half human?” another asked

“If I was half human I would already be gendered.”

“Maybe you’re half Praying Mantis!” yet another joked, and Holly looked at her claws. Certainly like that of a Mantis, but no mantis wished to make a claim to their like.

There was a little boy watching them all, Holly noticed. Holly let their wings flutter a little, smiling wide at them, to make him at ease. The boy let out a cry of surprise, tumbling down the wall. Izuku swiftly caught him before he hit the ground. 

* * *

Izuku secured his towel and took the young boy named Kota to Mandalay right away, noticing that he had fainted on the way down.

“The rush from the fall must have caused him to faint. Thank you,” Mandalay said as Izuku put the young boy on the couch, and she then put a towel on his head.

“Why was he up there?” Izuku asked her, looking at Kota with concern.

“You’re all young boys. Although I’m surprised we didn’t get anyone particularly girl-crazy this year. Normally there’s always one,” Mandalay let out a surprised laugh.

“Well, there was one,” Izuku sighed, “He died at the USJ Incident.”

Mandalay shook her head, “I suppose that’s the danger of even teaching kids your age. I’m sorry that happened to you.”

“It’s not your fault,” he replied softly, remembering how that kid had crumbled to dust in front of him. Just a short, small scream, and then he wasn’t there anymore, ashes spread into the water to never be seen again.

“Well, anyway, I’m just glad he’s alright,” Izuku shook the thought from his head, quickly dismissing it.

Mandalay smiled at him, then rubbed Kota’s cheek affectionately, “You must’ve moved pretty fast to catch him.”

Izuku looked at Kota’s face, which seemed so peaceful now. He’d noticed at dinner, how the small boy was glaring at all of them, with hate on his face. 

“Uh,” Izuku said quietly, “He doesn’t like heroes much, does he?”

Mandalay glanced at Izuku, who was looking at his hands, trying to comprehend even why someone would hate heroes.

“I admit that’s weird to me. Most everyone I know wants to be one,” He looked at the pro hero, “It’s...my dream.” He looked back on Kota, “So...it’s just wild to think that a kid his age is against heroes. Hates them, even.”

Mandalay leaned back in her office chair, “How observant. Of course he isn’t alone. There are many in our society who don’t approve of us.” She leaned forward again, pity in her voice, “If he had a normal childhood, maybe he would have admired heroes like you did growing up.”

Izuku gasped softly and looked at her, “What happened?”

The door opened, and Pixie-bob walked in with some tea. “It was Mandalay’s cousins. Kota’s parents, that is. They were heroes, too. But they were murdered.”

Izuku’s eyes widened as he let out another surprised gasp.

“It was a villain,” Mandalay explained, “Two years back. Kota was still so small. They were killed protecting citizens. Perhaps the most respectable way for any hero to die. But…” Mandalay’s eyes become glassy in memory. It was probably very painful to think about, “How do you even begin to explain to a child that his parents died honorable deaths? They were his entire world. Everything. But to him, his parents had left him behind. And all the while they were being praised, because… their sacrifice was such a noble one. Honestly, he doesn’t seem to like us much either. We’re pro heroes, just like they were. I’m sure he feels like he’s stuck here, because he has nowhere else to go. Heroes just...don’t make any sense to Kota. After all, if his parents hadn’t been heroes, they would still be here.”  
Izuku remembered the words of the villain who threatened to kill him yesterday. 

_He’s why these morons are able to smile thoughtlessly! Because that garbage pro is smiling thoughtlessly, oblivious to the pain he’s created!_

Izuku had heard so many people talk about heroes in the past few months, with such varying degrees of opinions. It would be foolish and irresponsible to just shrug off these opinions of them. But he couldn’t think of anything to say.

* * *

It was 5:30 AM, and class 1-A stood in their gym uniforms, tired and still stretching out from last night’s sleep. 

“Good morning class,” Mr. Aizawa said, and, despite his normally very tired demeanour, he seemed very energized. “Today, we begin a training camp that will increase your strength. Our goal is to increase your skills exponentially so that each of you earns a provisional licence. This will allow you to continue to face dangers that continue to fester in the darkness. Proceed carefully,” He tossed a ball at Bakugo’s face, “Look alive Bakugo!”

The boy caught it, and looked at the ball.

“Try throwing that for me.”

“Yeah sure, like in the fitness test,” He replied, looking at it.

“That’s right. When you first started school your record was 705.2 meters. Let’s see if you’ve improved.”

He walked away from the class, and everyone watched.

“Oh I get it, we’re checking our progress!” Mina said cheerfully.

“A lot’s happened to us in these past months,” Sero said, watching his classmate as he walked a safe distance from everyone, “Maybe he could throw it a whole mile now!”

Bakugo stretched his arm and began making circular motions with it, warming it up. 

“Come on, get it Bakugo!” Kirishima cheered.

“I’ve got this,” Bakugo said, “No one blink!” He threw the ball, screaming, “GO TO HELL!”

The ball exploded away from his arm, flying through the air.

“That was 709.6 meters,” Mr. Aizawa said, unimpressed. Bakugo seemed to double take as he looked at his teacher.

“That’s it? Kinda disappointing.” Sero said.

“You’ve had a single semester at UA, and due to your various experiences, all of you have definitely improved,” Mr. Aizawa said, “But those improvements have mostly been limited to mental prowess and technical skill. With a slight increase in stamina thrown in along the way.” He walked and turned to face the class, “Your Quirks really haven’t grown that much stronger. Not on a fundamental level.” There was a glint of madness in his eyes, “That’s why we’re going to focus on improving your powers.” A gleeful, evil grin split his face, “This will be so hard you’ll feel like you’re dying. Let’s hope you all survive.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just realized this one was not very long and I could have tagged it to the end of the last chapter, oops XD  
> Ah well, things happen haha XD  
> Next time: Another training montage! :D And some camp sp00ks, getting to know Kota, some bonding... the calm before the storm basically XD  
> Thank you for reading, leave a comment on what you like so far, and any predictions you may have <3


	38. The Calm Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The training is intense. Katsuki comes out to Holly, and asks her to keep a secret dear to him. Izuku wakes the class with a new nightmare, a new warning, putting a new security alert system. It's all for naught, as the storm approaches.

A bit later that morning, Class 1-B sleepily stretched and slowly woke up as their own teacher, Vlad King, stood before them, looking very determined. The sun was barely peeking over the horizon, casting long shadows on them all.

“We’re focusing on our Quirks?” Itsuka Kendo asked their teacher curiously, catching one of her classmates before they could fall over in tiredness.

“Class 1-A’s already training,” Their teacher replied, gesturing for them all to follow him, “You all need to catch up. Class A stole the spotlight every time in the first semester, so the second semester's gonna be Class B's time to shine. Got that? Not Class A. Us! From now on you’re shooting for the top. It will be us this semester, not them!”

Some of Class 1-B’s students woke up instantly and despaired. They were all such disappointing students! 

They walked through the thicket, everyone curious.

“I get you want everyone to improve our Quirks,” A green-haired girl said, “But we have 20 unique powers in our class. What kind of training will help all of us get better?”

“Yeah can you be more specific?” The only other Bug that was in the hero course, a scorpion-like half-breed with green hair asked.

“When your muscle fibers break, they grow back tougher, thicker. Quirks are the same way,” Mr. King said to them, “They improve the harder you push them. Stronger after every workout.In other words, there’s only one thing to do!” They reached the end of the clearing, seeing exactly what he meant as he said, “You’ll have to break yourselves!”

Class 1-A was there. That loudmouth Bakugo was screaming as he dipped his hands in hot water, then fired upwards, screaming “DAMN IT!”

Others were doing crazy, insane things to themselves. The son of Endeavour was freezing and boiling himself in a barrel of water. Someone was continuously trying to melt a mountain while the girl next to her constantly slammed her earlobes into it. A pair of boys were fighting each other, hand-to-hand, as behind them, on a hill, their classmate was consistently running his own electricity through the mountain, screaming bloody murder. Another on the hill next to him was just constantly producing tape, screeching in pain while his classmate climbed the hill using only her tongue. There was a cave with a simple sign on it, just saying “Fighting” as screams of a dark shadow echoed within. There was a girl in an orb who looked like she was about to hurl, spinning wildly within zero gravity. A pair of students were eating from a table of sweets, one doing lifts as the other seemed to be creating objects as she ate. A strange boy was creating multiple arms, eyes and ears, looking around the camp before pulling them within himself, and doing it all again. Two boys were separated from the camp, doing vocal exercises. One was just screaming, calling for the animals, which came and danced around him while another was singing loudly and on-point, giving everyone encouragement from a playlist he was listening to. Their voices were the loudest of everyone’s, and everyone in Class 1-A seemed to be screaming. 

Class1-B whimpered.

“Oh man, this is pretty intense,” One of them said meekly.

“Operative types will be raising your limits, maxing out your power” Mr. King said to the other class, “And the rest, you’ll mostly be focusing on strengthening body parts related to your Quirks. Now, normally these changes happen gradually as you grow.”

“But we don’t have time for that,” Mr. Aizawa walked through the chaos of his students, looking at Class 1-B expectedly, “Your class has a lot of work to do.”

“Once we team up with Class 1-A there’ll be 40 students here,” Kendo said to one of her classmates, “That’s a whole lot of Quirks for our homeroom teachers to manage on their own.”

“Which is why we called them,” With his singular eye Mr. Aizawa glanced behind him, and the Wild, Wild Pussycats appeared and introduced themselves to Class 1-B.

Some of them were startled by Tiger’s introduction as “coming here to beat them to a pulp.”

“I have questions about him!” One of them asked quickly, with fear in their voice.

“All you kids with strength Quirks time for Tiger’s bootcamp!” Tiger said ferociously. “Class 1-A is already sweating, so get to it!”

To the side, they failed to notice a pair of students. A green-haired boy exercising, sweating through his uniform, while his classmate, a midnight black bug struck him again and again with a dreamcatcher-like Nail before letting out attacks from her chest in the woods. The boy would periodically strike them, and lights would appear around her body before they would repeat this process.

“Come on, show me what you got!” Tiger said, squatting next to the green-haired boy and yelling.

“DETROIT SMASH!” He was obviously mimicking All Might when he tried to strike Tiger, who simply threw him backwards into a tree.

“If you don’t push yourself, you won’t shred your muscle fibers and get stronger!” Tiger told him as he weakly got up, the bug walking up and striking him with the nail that went through his body.

“Right, sir,” The boy said weakly.

“I CAN’T HEAR YOU! YOU WANNA BE PLUS ULTRA, DON’T YOU?”

“RIGHT, SIR,” he said more loudly.

“THEN SHOW ME WHAT THAT MEANS.”

“YES SIR.” He let out an incomprehensible scream as he jumped up.

“THAT’S RIGHT, TEAR THAT WEAK QUIRK APART AND MAKE IT STRONGER!”

Class 1-B realized how intense Tiger’s bootcamp was about to be.

* * *

“Now, remember what I said?” Pixie-bob asked the students, in front of a table full of ingredients.

“If you guys want to eat, you’ll have to make your own meals!” Ragdoll cheered and laughed, waving her hands wildly, “Starting with curry!”

“Yes, ma’am,” The body of students said in tired, exhausted voices.

Ragdoll laughed at them, “Ah man you guys look exhausted! But that doesn’t mean you can coast by making sloppy cat food!”

Not even tired by the training they had done all day, little Holly turned to their classmates with the most encouraging words and shouted, “Come on everyone! Let us make the best curry there ever was!”

Her teacher looked at Hollow, grateful they were able to get the point of making their own food as the students said tiredly, “Yeah, ok.”

They all dispersed, beginning to separate and make their own meals. Todoroki started to light a fire for one oven, when Mina called him over for more fire.

“We shouldn’t have to rely on him, or we'll never learn to light a fire,” Yaoyorozu scolded, making her own lighter and beginning another fire.

The other girls paid her no mind as they told Todoroki not to be too hot, but make it hot enough! They all laughed as his scarlet flames became a more natural orange after lighting up the wood, and Todoroki smiled.

Bakugo tried to light up a stove on the end, but ended up ruining it by exploding the entire thing too much. He stomped off angrily to chop some carrots instead, kicked off from stove duties by some of the boys.

“We did it!” After half an hour of cooking and some really burnt, botched attempts at food, the entire class settled for what they had and ate their dinner. Were some parts burnt to a crisp, and others a bit too raw for some people’s taste? Yes. Were some curries over seasoned, while others didn’t have enough? Also yes. But everyone scarfed down their food, too hungry to care and glad they made something that resembled food, even if it was really, really bad food. There was only 1 batch of curry that was cooked to perfection, one cooked by the three bugs in the entirety of the hero course. A beef curry with carrots, and luckily they had made a really big pot of it, as two of the three of them had as many as 40 siblings who all were as hungry and as rowdy as the hero course was. So there was enough for everyone, but all the students tried the three batches of curry that were made. 

“I didn’t know bugs made food as good as Lunch Rush!” One of the boys in Class 1-A said as he went back for seconds.

Holly served herself one plate of food. It seemed her fellow bugs all shared and new the same, traditional recipe of simple bug-curry. Hornet would be proud of them, but in the corner of their eyes they noticed a little boy running away from them, and could hear the familiar growl of an empty stomach. Picking up another plate, they swiftly followed, passing by Pixie-bob and pointing to the boy’s disappearing form.

“I’m bringing him food!” They said.

“Alright, well, don’t skip out on dishes you!” Pixie-bob replied, “Thank you for making sure he eats something.”

Hollow nodded, then rushed after him. The woods were rather thick, but the boy ahead seemed to know where he was going. The top of a mountain, where all the stars shined brightly away from the lights. 

“Greetings,” Holly said, and the boy turned, startled. She smiled at him gently.

“How did you find this place?” He asked her, all bark. But there was no bite as she handed him a plate of food.

“I followed you here,” she said, “Do not worry, if you wish for me to leave, I will. But you need food too.”

He took the food and looked at it, then back at them suspiciously. “What? No lecture or anything? Am I in trouble?”

“No, nothing at all,” Holly assured the boy, “Do you want me to leave?”

The boy already began to pick at the food with his fingers instead of using his fork, chewing on it sloppily and making a mess. He eyeballed her, as if trying to see if there were up to anything, before grunting and sitting down. Holly sat next to the boy, then looked out to the camp. The calm breeze of the evening air, as well as the settling sounds of evening and the distant sounds of people talking, were all very peaceful. They began to eat, although they used their fork. 

“Thank you,” The boy said begrudgingly, licking his plate without shame, “My name is Kota.”

“You may call me Hollow.”

“That’s a stupid name.”

Holly was reminded of Katsuki and all his angry spunk as the Kota’s stomach continued to growl. 

“I heard that. You must be hungry,” The pair turned. Izuku looked startled to see his friend there, and that Kota had already cleaned one plate of food.

“He is indeed very hungry,” Holly noticed he also brought a plate of food for him.

“Seriously?” He jumped up, and pointed at Izuku, “Is one of your Quirks just the ability to find me!? I want to be left alone! This is my hiding spot!”

“I just followed your footsteps,” He said to Kota, “I thought you might want some dinner before it gets cold.”

“Whatever. Just leave it. And get lost. I don’t want to hang out with you, or you!” He turned to Holly, suddenly a tiny ball of anger, “And forget about my hiding place, both of you!”

“This is a secret hideout?” Izuku looked around it. A small, shallow cave over a cliff that looked over the camp. It was simple, but there was evidence of someone making it their own.

“Hmph.” He crossed his arms, “Spending your entire life trying to improve your Quirk. It’s dumb. All you wanna do is show off! Get lost!”

Izuku looked down, then back at him. “Hey, about your parents. Were they the Water Hose heroes? With the water Quirks?”

Kota gasped in horror, “Did Mandelay tell you?”

“Uh, no! It’s uh...sorry,” Izuku shook the back of his head nervously, “But… I heard a little bit about what happened to them. And based on that information, I figured…” He looked at Kota again, “I remember reading about that horrible incident a few years ago.”

Kota turned away from both of them, exhaling loudly. “Go away. Everyone here’s so crazy. Calling people stupid names like ‘hero’ and ‘villain’ and killing each other because of it. Always focusing on their Quirks! If they hadn’t been showing off, they’d still be here. Idiots.”

Too quickly for Kota’s eyes to see, Holly struck him with the Dream Nail. She read his thought energy.

_Mama...Papa… why did you leave me? Didn’t you love me? Why did you have to do that..._

Izuku saw it though, and he looked very sad. 

“We’re done here! Go back to camp with the other losers!” Kota shouted.

Hollow observed, wondering what their friend would say.

“Hey...uhm,” Izuku’s grip on the plate tightened, “This guy I knew. He didn’t inherit any Quirk from his parents.”

“Huh?” Kota asked, suddenly very confused.

“It’s a hereditary thing. He admired heroes so much he wanted to be one. Thing is, you can’t usually become a hero unless you’ve got some kinda Quirk. But still. My friend refused to accept that, and hoped to become a hero.”

“I remember them,” Holly chimed in, “He tried to breathe fire like his father, or use telekinesis like his mother. But nothing worked.”

Izuku nodded, “There are lots of different ways to think of how Quirks work. So we might not be on the same page. But I think if you reject them completely, it’s just going to make life harder. In so many ways.”

Kota became angry again, “Will you just leave me alone already? Go away!”

“I’m sorry,” Izuku looked down at the food he was carrying, “I’ll leave it here for you.”

He set it down next to Kota’s empty plate. Holly picked up their plates and turned Izuku around, and they began to walk back.

“I learned something today, Deku,” Holly said to them, carrying the empty plates.

He looked at her, a bit curious. “What’s that?”

“I seem to calm down those in pain. Before you arrived, he was quite calm. Not as angry until you came and began to speak.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” He apologized again, “I didn’t mean to interrupt you two. I didn’t see you bring him food. And I didn’t know you had it handled.” He paused for a moment, “I saw you swipe at him. What was he thinking?”

“He doesn’t understand why his parents left still,” Holly replied, “He doesn’t understand.”

“What were you two doing,” Mr. Aizawa grabbed them both by his scarf as the pair emerged from the woods as dinner began to conclude.

“Oh, don’t worry Mr. Aizawa!” Pixie-bob said, “I saw your bug there bringing Kota food.”

“I didn’t know she was, but he looked like he needed a second plate anyways,” Izuku said nervously, sweating bullets, “That’s all it was, I swear! I wanted to bring him food too!”

Mr. Aizawa put them down, looking at Pixie-bob, “We’ll be asking him after. Dinner is nearly up, and I’m putting you both on dish duty.”

“Yes sir,” They both replied.

* * *

“I don’t like this!” A woman with ash blonde hair complained at the mask she wore.

“They were engineered for the black market from what I hear,” A shorter man wearing equipment for gas masks replied to her, “You should be worried that they work, not that they look pretty.”

“Ugh, I’m just _saying_ they could be a little more stylish, is that too much to ask?” She waved her arms up and down impatiently.

“Hi darlings, sorry to keep you waiting,” A woman who looked like a man with red hair appeared.

“Get to work, get to work,” it could have been a bug, or a human, but whoever they were they stumbled, completely covered in a suit with their mouth forcibly open.

They gathered at the top of a mountain, looking down on the camp.

“That makes seven of us,” Another man, with a stitched up, frankenstein-like appearance said.

“I don’t care, just let me loose!” Another complained, this one in a black cloak wearing a mask to hide his face. “I’m too pumped up just to stand by.”

The frankenstein like man looked at the cloak wearer, “Shut your mouth you crazy bastard. We wait. We’re still expecting at least three more people and what the boss describes as a beautiful weapon to join our party.”

If you could see their eyes, all glowed a bright, infected orange, watching the camp with the thirst for blood.

“The League of Villains made a mistake going after them with a bunch of random thugs at the USJ. Better to use a small group of elites.” The frankenstein-like man said, and the wind blew, “First thing we have to do is take away their sense of peace. And show them that their lives rest in our hands.”

* * *

_Mine enemies plot. Be aware, my Bearer of One for All. They have come to steal thy Vessel, and break thy will._

Green electricity glowed erratically, waking Izuku up from his sleep in a panic. He screamed as he sat up, eyes feral.

The other boys stirred, looking at him in confusion. Some of them muttered and rolled back to sleep, while others told him to fuck off before falling back asleep. The only clock in the room read that it was just past midnight, and his classmates were exhausted at another day of pushing themselves to the very limits for another 12 hours straight.

He could feel it, fading. Izuku tried to grab onto the message, to put it into words, as Mr. Aizawa stepped through the door.

“Is something wrong, Midoriya?” He asked, leaning down to Izuku’s bed and looking at the boy “I heard you scream.”

His Quirk hummed beneath his skin, crawling, itching. Some of the other boys sleepily looked at them, half listening, not being able to sleep with how bright their classmate now shined.

“S-Something...again,” He said, “Like at the USJ! I had a nightmare about it! Someone…. They’re telling me. They’re watching. Our enemies.”

“Is part of your Quirk being able to see the future Midoriya?” Mr. Aizawa asked him, the noise now getting the attention of some of his sleepier classmates.

He looked down, ashamed, and shook his head. “No, just…. “ He rubbed one of his shoulders, “I...maybe? This didn’t happen when I was on my internship, just…” He tried to think, to put it into words. This crawling feeling, “It’s like… I don’t even… I-I’m not sure Mr. Aizawa…This has only happened once and… I dunno...”

“No one should know that we’re here,” Mr. Aizawa said, “We did change the location of the camp this year. Still, I can’t argue that last time, you said something was going to happen, and it did. I’ll have Pixie-bob put up their monsters everywhere to monitor the camp.”

Izuku nodded, the suggestion making him feel better. “Yeah. That might be a good idea.”

Mr. Aizawa did something Izuku didn’t expect, which was to ruffle his hair. A rare show of fatherly affection from someone who always seemed so uncaring towards them, Izuku was glad his glow died down, hiding his blush.

“Go to sleep kid,” Mr. Aizawa said, standing, “That goes for the rest of you still awake.”

The other boys waited for Mr. Aizawa to leave. Holly, who had been hiding under a blanket to hide their glow, popped their head out. They illuminated the room like a soft night light, casting everything into shadows. Another strange aspect of their Quirk, to glow so softly in the dark. 

“You think someone’s going to attack?” Izuku couldn’t tell, their voices were all sleepy, and all he could see were silhouettes.

“Mr. Aizawa just said that our camp location changed.”

“I don’t want another USJ.”

“I know someone will,” Izuku said, “I can feel it in my bones.”

A hushed silence among them. The thought that it could happen again...to suddenly just die, and not even become heroes, was very scary to the boys of Class 1-A.

“The League would be foolish to try that again with now 38 of us, and 6 pro heroes,” he could pick out Shoto’s soft voice, assuring them, “We’re more experienced now. And we’re getting stronger.”

Some of them muttered in agreement, and there was some shifting as some of the boys seemed to get closer to each other, as if to comfort each other.

“You should get back to your rest, all of you,” Holly’s soft, hushed voice commanded. They hid back under the blanket, casting the room back into darkness, “We are now warned, and Mr. Aizawa said that Pixie-bob would prepare us creations to guard us.”

Both of their words seemed to calm down the stirred-up teens, as slowly, heads hit their pillows and snores began to fill the room again.

Izuku laid back down, trying to get himself back to sleep. One for All still buzzed slightly, keeping him awake and on edge.

There was some shuffling, and Izuku lifted his head. Only their orange eyes peeked out from the blanket as Holly laid down above their head, curling into a ball. 

They’d read their thoughts all day today, gathering his Soul and trying to get faster at Focusing so they could heal faster. It was quite intimate, although he remembered Holly had done it to some of the other students as they all fought in Tiger’s boot camp. Still, it was weird having someone constantly come up and read his thoughts as they tried to fight each other.

This close in the dark, the stillness of their Quirk calmed him down.

Part of their blanketed self reached over and stroked Izuku’s cheek. He looked up at them, back to their watching orange eyes.

“I’v̓e̻ ̳b͙een̩ ̉str͑ik͌iͦnͦg Ka̖c̲chan ̛a̼l͂l͠ ̶n̤i̊gh͎t̲ to que̳ll ̧h̳ȋs̃ ňi͕g̪ht͌mar̍es̺,” They said in High Bug, “I c̑an͐ ͢sͮt̪rik͊e͕ ̙yŏu ͕too͜, ̴sỏ y̶oͅu̿ ͯm͟ay s͘le̋ep̄ ̀m̭ore̥ ́sͫouṇdľyͧ.”

“Y͞ö́u c̓an d̀oͥ th͋at?” He asked.

“Of ̼co͋urs͙e.ͨ Y͋o͐u̜’v͟e been̖ sl͈e̳e̼pin̦g,̎ but he’s̠ ha̭d me̶ ͅg̚o̩ to ́t̳heͯ ̃gi͊r͎l’̄s r̟o͎om̵s̵ tͪo̷ strike͏ th̓e͇ ̱mor͡e̵ rẻs̻t̾lesͨs. ̎A di̲ff̪e͠ṟenͪt͘ use ̔for͎ t͟h̉iͣs Qůirk o͛f ̕m̭ine. It̂ ͋s͈ţo̬p͌ş ̫th͞e ͐nightm̢ar͢e͢s.”

He nodded.

“I can hear and understand you bastards,” Kacchan’s rough yet tired voice said, “Go the fuck back to sleep before Mr. Aizawa makes us run laps or some bullshit. Better not wake me up again Deku.”

Izuku let out a soft, happy giggle, closing his eyes. Familiar with their strikes, he felt Holly’s Quirk pass through them, reading his thoughts, but now, also calming him down.

 _All Might said it could be the White Lady… I wish I could ask him more, I should have asked him more when I had the chance. We’re so isolated and on our own now_ …

His eyes grew heavy, and Izuku fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Much, much later that same night, Katsuki was startled awake. His own nightmare of that sweet smelling and disgustingly sweet nectar was on the forefront of his mind. In his mind’s eye he could still see that girl dying in his arms, telling him it wasn’t his fault. Asking them to tell her parents she loved them.

He stood up to leave for the bathroom, his walk surprisingly quiet for anyone who knew him.

So much for Holly helping him stop the nightmares…

He found her in the hallway, closing the door to the boys of Class 1-B.

“Oh, it seems like I missed yours again. I’m sorry,” Holly whispered at the sight of him, a blanket wrapped around her to hide her glow.

No, not her. Them. That was their new pronouns, since they were apparently going to develop a gender soon. It was still a hard habit to break.

“It’s OK, I was just going to get some water,” he replied. He then realized this might be the only time in camp he would be able to bring it up, since Katsuki wanted to talk about it as soon as possible.

“Do you have a minute?” He asked.

“Of course,” Holly followed him to the fountains, “What troubles you?”

Katsuki drank big, raging gulps. He glanced at his partner. This might actually hurt a bit.

“You said you were going to develop a gender soon. That’s why you seem a bit… weirder than normal. Like, you’ve got this...odd air about you. I didn’t notice it until Shoto pointed it out, but you do seem slightly different than normal.”

“Indeed,” They nodded, “Is this about that?”

Fuck everyone for being right about this. He didn’t want to admit it for so long, but now… fuck Deku, fuck Eijiro, fuck Denki, fuck them all for actually being _right_. 

“I think I would be way too uncomfortable if you were actually a girl.”

The bug he’d known his entire life grinned widely, a shit-eating, happy grin. 

“Shut the fuck up. Don’t go fucking telling everyone.”

“I won’t. I’m happy for you.”

“Do you think you’ll be a girl?” He asked.

Still wearing that grin, Holly shrugged. “I might be. I could also become a boy. Or I could stay genderless. It’s a 1 in 3, since we still don’t know my full genes. For all we know, being around boys will turn me female, as a guarantee. Since science has not refined it."

“A 1 in 3 chance that you might actually grow a pair,” He sighed. Katsuki knew he had to do this, but… his heart still broke about it. A dull, little ache in his chest. But it was a complete turn-off knowing that his partner might _not_ be male. They’d been keeping the relationship hidden for so long, it was like a giddy getaway. To be so raw with someone was something Katsuki was unfamiliar with.

“Holly...I…” he groaned.

“I understand Kacchan,” they put an arm on his shoulder, “You are what you are attracted to.”

“I always thought you were a boy, for some dumbass reason,” He said, “Even though I always called you a girl.”

“We’re all a bit stupid when love comes and goes. But you also call Deku a girl all the time. Or a little bitch.”

“Can we still be friends? You’re not...pissed?” He would be pissed if it was the other way around. Full of rage and heartbreak, but in the quiet night, with their naturally calming presence… All he felt was the dull ache of loss. 

“I will admit there’s some…. Confusion within me,” Holly replied, “Agitation? Nevertheless, whoever is unfortunate to have to battle me tomorrow, their beating will be tenfold.”

He nodded, and began walking back. Holly followed him, their little footsteps so much louder than his.

“Do you wish me to strike you again before you sleep?” She asked as he flopped back onto his sleeping mat.

“No,” He said harshly, “Just...fuck off.” He regretted it instantly, still believing that this bug was one filled with emotions and feelings like everyone else, just pretty shitty at expressing themselves. He held out a hand to the retreating bug, who left to go strike the dreams of his classmates. But they didn’t even turn back to look at him, how Katsuki wanted to say sorry, how he felt like it just ruined a hell of a lot. Gods, what the fuck was wrong with him. Katsuki hid in his pillow and curled up, trying to not cry for his broken heart.

Katsuki didn’t know that his friend felt nothing when they broke up. No sadness, no pain, no happiness or relief. The only one who felt anything over it, was him. 

* * *

“Hey remedial group, keep at it,” Mr. Aizawa said, grabbing Kirishima with his scarf to keep him from falling over.

“Yes sir!” Kirishima said tiredly, and the entire group of boys swayed like leaves in the wind.

The group of them didn’t expect for the extra remedial lessons to go on until 2 in the morning, and begin backup at 7. 

“I told you that it would be tough,” Mr. Aizawa told them, “Remember, you’re not just improving your Quirks. You’re also working to overcome the many weaknesses I saw in the finals.”

The students yelped at the mention of their finals.

“Think more carefully at why you’re more tired than the others before you start whining. You have much to improve here.”

“Right! Yes sir!” They all chanted, and Kirishima fell as Mr. Aizawa let him go.

“Don’t lose focus!” Mr. Aizawa commanded his class, walking over the cliff and looking down, “Each of you can move faster. And no matter what you’re doing, just remember where you started from. Don’t forget who you were before you came to UA. Always keep in mind why you’re sweating and why your limits keep getting tested. That’s what it means to improve.”

Bakugo seemed a lot more aggressive today, his explosions bigger, better. That was good, Mr. Aizawa noted.

“Keep at it Bakugo, I can see you’re improving,” He said, then turned to a much more aggressive Hollow, who seemed to finally get the hang of their focus and was able to heal faster now. “You too Hollow.”

“Hey, Mr. Aizawa, that reminds me, it’s already the third day of camp,” Midoriya walked over to the cliff, looking up at him.

Mr. Aizawa jumped down, then pointed to one of the earth creatures that was blended into the background. “We have it under control. Stay focused.”  
“I was just wondering if All Might,” He stood up straighter, corrected himself, “I mean, if the other teachers from UA would be joining us.”

“Like I said before we came out here, to keep the camp a secret from the villains, hardly anyone knows where we are.”

“That’s why you get to work out with us four pussycats!” Ragdoll shouted eagerly from the top of the cliff.

“And think about it,” Mr. Aizawa continued, “We believe All Might is one of the League’s targets, so we definitely can’t have him here. It’s for your own safety. For better or for worse, that’s what he gets for standing out so much,” He scoffed at it, then walked away.

“Meow, meow, meow, meow!” Pixie-bob giggled, “More importantly, tonight’s going to be fun! We’re pitting classes against each other in a test of courage! I know you’ve been training hard today, and later, you’ll get to play hard!” She threw her hands out, “HOW’S THAT FOR AN AWARD?!”

All the students seemed to groan at this idea. It sounded like more training than an actual game. And in the dark, no less. From his cave, Tokoyami seemed a bit excited as he muttered “Revelry in the dark.”

“Don’t slack now!” Pixie-bob shouted in excitement, “Make sure you keep on pushing yourself as you work!”

“Yes ma’am!” The students yelled back.

“Whoa Bakugo, you’re so good with that knife!” Uraraka exclaimed as Bakugo cut carrots swiftly and effectively, “It’s weird.”

“What do you mean it’s weird?! How can you people be so damn bad at everything?!” He shouted an angry reply.

“Look at that, Bakugo’s not blowing something up,” Kaminari said as he passed by with a box of potatoes.

“I’m too tired for this,” Kirishima groaned, eyes blinking slowly.

Todoroki was getting a pot of water as across from him Midoriya began to put in logs to prepare for a fire. He brought the pot of water over and set it above the stove.

“Did you need All Might for a particular reason?” He asked Midoriya, “You asked Mr. Aizawa about him.”

Midoriya looked up from the logs. “Yeah. Uhm. I did. Mostly because of Kota.”

“Kota? Who’s that?” 

“Huh?” Midoriya turned to point, “The boy that’s over there. He’s Mandalay’s cousins-” He looked around, “Hold on. Where did he go?” Midoriya looked pensive for a moment, then began to put more logs into the pit.

“Anyway, Kota doesn’t like heroes. Actually, he hates the whole idea of a superhuman society. Quirks and everything. I tried to talk to him, but I think I just made things worse. I was just wondering what All Might would've done if he would’ve been here. I mean, what would you say to him Shoto?”

Todoroki looked away, thinking. “It depends.”

“Of course, sorry I asked!”

“To have a complete stranger try to change your mindset sounds like an irritating conversation,” Todoroki continued, “What matters are actions. You have to show him what you’re trying to prove. Right? If you’re going to rely on words alone, then they better be incredibly powerful. What you say doesn’t nearly matter as much as what you do.”

Midoriya seemed to get his point, as he got Todoroki's point. 

“You’re right, I went about this the wrong way,” Midoriya chuckled at himself, “How can I, a complete stranger, say anything to him?”

“I don’t know what your goal is when it comes to this child, but it sounds like you’re putting your nose in a very delicate situation. You tend to cut to the heart of people’s feelings… it can be annoying.”

Midoriya seemed suddenly very embarrassed at himself. “Right, sorry about that!”

The crickets sang and chirped in the night. Surrounding them, monstrous, earthly guards to protect them. The students of the hero course gathered in a clearing, where the Wild, Wild Pussycats and their teachers were there waiting in front of a map of a sectioned off area.

“Purrfect!” Pixie-bob shouted, “We’ve cleaned the dishes and filled our bellies! IT’S TIME FOR-”

“A totally awesome test of courage!” Ashido interrupted, jumping up and down in excitement.

The boys in the remedial course cheered, “We’re gonna win!”

“Not so fast.” Mr. Aizawa said, “It pains me to say it, but the remedial class will be having lessons with me tonight instead.” The boys gasped as Mr. Aizawa bound them with his scarf, “Sorry. Your training today didn’t impress me, so I’ll be using this time too.”

“OK!” Pixie-bob said, pointing at a chart, “So Class 1-B are going to start off as our ‘scarers’. When they’re in place Class A will leave in pairs every 3 minutes. There are tags with your names on them at the far end of the route. Your goal is to collect those!”

“Revelry in the dark,” Tokoyami muttered to himself, and Uraraka, who was next to him, gave him a strange look.

“Now, those who are scarers aren’t allowed to make physical contact. Use your Quirks to terrify the others! Got it?”

“The winners are the creative students who make the most people piss their pants!” Tiger shouted, pointing at them all.

Pixie-bob held up a hand with numbers on them. “All right! Everyone draw to see who your partner will be!” 

Tokoyami drew number one, then began to look around to see who else had it.

“It seems we are to be partners,” Hollow walked up and showed him their number, “It’s been a while, Fumikage.”

“You make it sound like we don’t see each other nearly every day in class,” Tokoyami replied with a smile.

His classmate smiled back, and he could sense the darkness. It was similar to Dark Shadow, in a way, but not the same. Emptier, somehow, but he liked it. Tokoyami loved dark things, and found the bug’s Quirk quite amazing, especially with how versatile it seemed to be.

“Revelry in the dark?” Hollow asked him as their classmates tried and failed to switch partners.

Tokoyami’s limited grin began to hurt his face. Finally, someone who understood.

After a small waiting of Class 1-B to finish preparing, Hollow and Tokoyami were let into the path.

“Go on my little black kitties!” Pixie-bob urged them, “And be brave now!”

“So, is our job to not be scared?” Holly asked Tokoyami, who looked around, waiting for someone to pop out and yell ‘boo’.

“That’s the point,” Tokoyami said, “He did say the one who gets the most to wet themselves would win.”

“Ah,” she nodded, “So, how is progress with Dark Shadow?”

“You’re rather talkative today,” Tokoyami said, “I’m getting better control. Not there yet. What about you?”

“I can teleport with the Dream Nail now,” She replied, flashing the weapon, “Currently my spot of choice is our old training ground.”

“Is that what that glowing dreamcatcher on the ground was?” He asked.

Holly nodded as a head popped out of the ground with a Tokoyami jumped up, startled, but Holly didn’t even break stride. 

“Good attempt,” She told the head.

“The rest of us will get you, girlie. Boyo?” The head said hesitantly, “Whatever. Bugo. We’ll make you scream.” It disappeared.

They moved on. A few more people tried to jump out at them, yelling, screaming, making scary imagery. Tokoyami noticed Holly never even paused to look at them, just kept on walking as if none of this bothered them in the slightest. 

“You make me look like a scared chicken,” Tokoyami complained as they grabbed their name tags.

“Well, you can’t scare someone incapable of fear,” She replied simply, “Our class will be the winner with the pair of us.”

He grinned widely at that as the woods were filled with eeks and shrieks. 

“Maybe if we pair up with Shinso he can sing scary songs while you and Dark Shadow make them think something is about to eat them,” He suggested, but then sniffed the air.

“Do you smell that?”

“It smells like fire,” the pair looked behind them.

A man in a black straight jacket charged at them, and from his mouth blades came out. One of them pierced Holly straight through the torso and sent her flying into the woods. Tokoyami only heard a single thud.

“You-you killed her!” He screamed in grief and anger. 

“What’s that smell in the air?” Pixie-bob sniffed, looking around.

“Do you see that?” Midoriya pointed to the woods. Black smoke poofed as suddenly, his skin lit up once again.

A frankenstein-like man with his hand on a tree opened his eyes. He was known only as Dabi, and he was beginning to set the woods ablaze with brilliant blue fire.

“Now, it begins,” He whispered to himself, “Take them down. Those who believe they deserve the title ‘hero.’ We are the Vanaction Squad. And we are here to tear you off your pedestals.”

A woman with ash-blonde hair spied two girls walking through the woods, giggling to herself.

A man, in a straight jacket which forced opened his mouth horribly, walked away from a monster that attacked all other sounds indiscriminately. 

Hollow had landed on a tree, and quickly healed themselves. They could smell the distinct sound of smoke, and they noticed they were deep enough in the woods to notice a half-buried, worn out Nail in the ground. They dug it out, but then they noticed the corpse that it belonged to.

Orange orbs of infection seemed to go into it, and Holly frantically began to squish them, to no use. Jumping backwards, she noticed the body better now, aglow with infection.

It looked just like her, wearing a broken mask and a cloak so old it was barely even there. The infection from within the corpse forced it to scream, a scream that could shake the air as Holly stole its Nail and prepared to fight a broken vessel.

Pixie-bob was lifted in the air with a pink mist before she could command her creations to defend her students. Pixie-bob was struck on the head, being swiftly knocked out.

“First, let’s get rid of these feral cats.” A villain said as the remaining of Class 1-A stared in horror. A pair of villains stood over Pixie-bob’s body, a lizard-like man and another with a huge, concrete pillar.

“Pixie-bob!” Izuku yelled, running towards her, but Mandalay and Tiger stopped him.

“This is bad,” She muttered to herself, looking at them.

But then Izuku gasped in a horrible, terrible realization.

 _Where’s Kota_?! He thought frantically, looking around.

And from his hiding spot, with wide, confused eyes, Kota looked down on the destruction. The forest burned and heavy, pink mist swirled. A raging beast that seemed to be attacking nothing, and a scream that could shake you within your bones.

The boy stared, wide-eyed, and he was scared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Katsuki is gaaaaaaayyyy here XD  
> Annd so yeah, they break up. At least it's on good terms tho! First relationships don't typically last, and if Holly IS a female...well, best to end it now is his logic. At least they'll still be friends :3  
> TBH I based their relationship off of one I saw my two friends try to have, but they ended up feeling like it wouldn't work out. After a few days of licking their wounds they seemed sorta back to the way before they dated. There was this weird period of awkwardness between them but when I asked they said they just ended up as more closer friends. Same thing with here. I kinda like seeing healthy relationships in people, RL or fiction. Call me a hopeless romantic.  
> Anyways, shit hits the fan now. The training camp is raided and OOOH MAN we have ourselves A BROKEN VESSEL and Holly stole its Nail before it was reanimated!!  
> Can't wait for the next chapter! :DDDDD  
> I've had this part of the story in my head for a while now!! PLEASE leave comments on your predictions below, I would LOVE to see them!!!


	39. The Lost and Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr. Aizawa realizes how fucked everything is, even with the extra preparations they put up due to Midoriya's warnings. Katsuki and Shoto try to escape the forest of gas, only to stumble across a terrible scene. Holly battles what they come to realize as their lost kin. Meanwhile, reality for Izuku falls apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Suicide and gore. Put a dash of torture in there too for safety. This chapter is pretty heavy, but it's also an essential one for many characters.  
> Also note: The scenes with Tetsutetsu and Itsuka Kendo goes basically the same (He and Kendo basically decide they need to stop the source of the fog) so it's not included. But it happens anyways as an FYI

“For tonight’s lesson, we’ll be talking about how to behave in an emergency,” Mr. Aizawa said as the four boys were forced to walk back to the camp headquarters with him, “If you don’t become more aware that you’re falling behind your classmates, then the gap will only continue to grow. In a broad sense, this knowledge is your reward. How’s that for a treat?”

“I knew I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up,” Kirishima muttered dejectedly.

They walked into the near-empty classroom, with only Mr. King and Neito Monoma, whom the failures of Class 1-A had gotten uncomfortably familiar with.

“How strange!” Monoma said too cheerfully, “Now who do we have here? Four members of Class 1-A who bombed the exams? And only one member of Class 1-”

“You failed the exams too you idiot! Kaminari yelled at him as they all sat down.

“So Vlad, why don’t we start with practice maneuvers?” Mr. Aizawa asked his colleague.

“I was thinking the same thing,” Vlad said, “Perhaps we should pair them up?”

A bright pink flash in everyone’s mind’s eye, startling some of the kids.

 _Everyone!_ Mandalay’s mental voice shouted.

“It’s Mandalay’s telepath,” Kirishima said curiously, staring up.

“It is sorta annoying that it only works in one direction though,” Kaminari tapped his fingers together absentmindedly.

“Everyone stop talking,” Mr. Aizawa commanded.

_Two villains attacked us. It’s possible that there are more coming. Everyone return to camp immediately! We’re regrouping. Do not engage with the enemy!_

“I’ll look after the other students,” Mr. Aizawa said quickly to Mr. King, “Protect them!”

“Wasn’t this a secret?” Monoma asked as Mr. Aizawa ran out of the room.

Sirens began to sound as Mr. Aizawa ran down the hall. Damn! Even with the extra protections, they couldn’t protect the students again. If this is a full-scale attack…

He ran outside, blue flames and smoke coming from the trees. 

_We’re in big trouble_ , Mr. Aizawa thought as he looked up.

“Looks like your concerns has you distracted, Eraser,” A voice said on his blind side

Mr. Aizawa turned, then screamed “VLAD!”

He was lit ablaze by the bluest of flames.

“You pros outta lay off,” The voice said, “We haven’t come here for any of you, so just stay out of our way.”

* * *

Katsuki grunted and gasped as the fog filled the air. Next to him, Shoto was carrying one of the kids from Class 1-B, who had passed out in the fog.

“Damn it!” He said through his mouth.

“There must be some sort of gas villain out here,” Shoto said, looking upwards, “I’m worried about the others still in the forest. But I don’t see that there’s much we can do now. Hopefully Ragdoll can take care of everyone else.”

“Don’t tell me what to do icy-”

They both stopped, and gasped. A villain in a straightjacket was over two bodies. They were both unidentifiable, chopped up into pieces, but there were at least 3 hands and 4 legs…. The only thing that could make them see that it was two people at all. Maybe the remains of an ear?

“Holy shit,” Katsuki said, eyes going wide at the sight, “Who’s that? And...what was the group in front of us again?”

“Mezo Shoji and Kyoka Jiro,” Shoto answered in horror, “I think."

“Soooooo prettyyyy,” The villain cooed over the bodies, “No, have to work. Can’t…” He stumbled, standing up. His voice was strained, grating, as the villain turned around to face the pair of them, “But master, it’s so delicious! Beautiful flesh.” His voice suddenly became clear, deadly, “Don’t tempt me. I have a job to do.” He turned, and they saw his mouth was forced open, the only part of the body the boys could see.

“No fighting, is that the rule?” Kastuki said, a strange smile on his face, “Yeah, that’s not going to happen.”

* * *

Holly looked at the Broken Vessel as it screamed at them. 

They hit the broken as it shook, grabbing a branch from the ground. It seemed unaware that Holly had taken its actual weapon. It jumped up and swiped at nothing, staggering to and fro. Little orange blobs appeared over it, and Holly hit them as the broken staggered back and slammed itself into her.

It jumped into the air randomly and landed, as if struggling with itself. Holly let out a Shade Soul attack, hitting it and the orange infection that appeared above it.

Again it jumped as Holly swiped down two more infected little blobs. The broken kept jumping, and Holly landed a hit. It swung it’s head back, neck open, shaking.

They took the opportunity to heal themselves, watching the other vessel carefully. Holly was under the impression that there were two of them. They knew that there had been others, and they had all been killed for their imperfections, but not that any others had crawled out, and had grown. And grown enough to be infected by Radiance. Suddenly, unexpectedly, Holly heard the message from Mandalay.

_Everyone! Two villains attacked us. It’s possible that there are more coming. Everyone return to camp immediately! We’re regrouping. Do not engage with the enemy!_

Holly paid no heed to that last part. They couldn’t leave this Vessel! Not on its own. It would rampage and infect everyone if they didn’t put a stop to here and now.

The lost staggered up, jumping up and down as Holly let out more Shade Soul attacks, only one landing on it. It swung its branch as it dashed towards Holly. Holly jumped and dashed above it.

The lost jumped up and knocked Holly to the ground, then swung its branch every which way wildly, as if trying to contain itself somehow. Both hit the orange ghosts that came towards Holly, exploding in disgusting, infected goop.

Holly took a few steps back, the infection giving her enough Soul to hit the lost once again. The lost jumped up and slammed itself into the ground, as if in a mock Desolate Dive. Infection poured out from it, floating into the air, one of the blobs hitting Holly before all of them disappeared.

Holly closed the distance again and hit the Lost twice before it began swinging its branch once again, throwing back the other once again. Holly hit more infected blobs as it did this before letting out another Shade Soul attack. 

It jumped closer again, but Holly managed to hit it. The lost slumped over as Holly healed themselves, watching it again.

It’s neck was exposed, and as soon as they healed they hit the Lost. It screamed again and jumped through the air, dashing. The Lost seemed to be at war with itself as it shook with every step now. It jumped downwards again, but Holly managed to dodge its infected blobs as they floated upwards and disappeared into the trees.

They hit it twice more with their Shade Soul before focusing on the many floating infected blobs. The lost had its neck exposed again, letting Holly heal once more. But they didn’t see it dash towards them as Holly hit more of those pesky blobs. 

They parried the lost’s branch, throwing it back as it once again swung itself wildly. Holly hit it with more Shade Souls, and it screamed as a flurry of floating, terrible infection squirted from its body. Holly tried to dodge this onslaught, but some of them hit. 

It was weaker now, but the Radiance’s hold on it forced it to become desperate as it dived down, infection coming out. Holly hit it three more times with the Shade Soul, and with its neck exposed Holly sliced down.

It screamed again, the infection bubbling away into nothing as their Lost Kin slumped over, dying. It held out a hand to Holly, its eyes clearing. Holly ran towards its side as the last of Radiance’s hold gave out.

From beneath its broken mask, Holly could see it. Its face looked eerily similar to hers, sharing many of the same features. Neutral face, but its eyes were a dirty brown, like tree roots. The Lost slumped over, dead.

It wasn’t a Shade that appeared over the Lost , but what looked like a ghost of its former self. They stared at one another. The Vessels didn’t speak. The Lost held out a hand, as if asking for forgiveness, for acceptance. Holly took it. From beneath its ghostly mask the Lost slowly faded away, smiling, touching Holly’s lips. It disappeared.

Holly turned their head upwards, letting out a terrible, shrieking scream. The scream twisted itself into a new spell.

_Howling Wraiths._

When their screaming was done, Holly looked down at the body of their lost kin. Gingerly, she reached in, and closed its eyes.

There were things to be done. Holly looked out to the cliffside, to where Kota’s hiding place was. He needed to be escorted to safety, now that the biggest threat was over and dealt with. 

* * *

  
  


On top of his hideout, Kota watched in confusion. He had been thinking about his parents, and how Mandalay said he’d understand it one day, when a stranger would come and save him. Yeah right. People like those didn’t exist.

He turned suddenly as a huge man in a mask came out of the shallow cave. He scrambled backwards, frightened, as Mandalay’s voice echoed in his mind, pleading for him to come home as fast as he could.

“I came here scouting for a nice vantage point, and here I find someone who’s not on our list.” The man approached, his voice full of evil intent, “By the way, nice hat kid. I like it.” He pointed at himself, “Why don’t you trade me for this lame mask, huh? They made me wear it cuz I’m new,” He began to take it off, “Said they couldn’t get a shipment of the good ones in time.”

Kota yelped and turned, running as fast as he could.

“Ah well,” The villain said lazily as he tossed the mask aside. He jumped in front of the retreating child, and Kota let out a scream.

“I think you and me should have some fun up here, right kid?” his muscles tore themselves off of his skin, and his cloak fell off.

Kota recognized it from the new report. The hair, the smirk, the skin… a majorly messed up left eye.

“It’s you!” He gasped, frozen like a deer in headlights.

The villain punched downwards.

Green, sparking electricity suddenly lifted Kota up. Someone caught him, taking him away from the spot he was just a moment before as rocks cracked beneath the villains fist.

Izuku and Kota tumbled away, landing on the ground in a not-so-graceful manner. Izuku coughed up the dust he kicked up, eyes watery as he rubbed out the dust quickly.

“What are you doing?!” Kota asked desperately.

“Huh,” The villain said curiously, “Now you I recognize. You were on the list.”

Izuku didn’t expect to actually run into any villains on the way up here. This guy looked like he didn’t have skin, his muscles so huge they popped out grotesquely. He didn’t miss that the villain’s eyes were a bright orange, like an infected. Orange infection seemed to seem out of his muscles disgustingly, making them pulsate. A sickly sweet scent filled the air, similar to Nomu's blood when Holly had de-brained it.

He glanced over. Damn it, the landing broke his phone. He didn’t tell anyone where he was going, so Izuku couldn’t expect any backup. It was just him.

All alone.

He had to stop him, all by himself. But Izuku didn’t know if he could, while also protecting Kota. The training had made him so tired. He looked at Kota. No, he had to do it! No time to think, he had to do it, right now! With the power he had.

Izuku glowed, powering up. “Hey,” he smiled shakily, “I promise, everything will be okay,” He made a determined fist, putting his entire body between Kota and the villain, “I’m going to save you Kota!”

In the distance, a piercing scream shook the earth once again, making even the villain look out in the distance.

“Looks like their twisted pet was able to kill someone,” The villain laughed, “You really think you can save this little brat?” His laugh became more deranged, “That does sound like something a wannabe hero would say.” The villain’s voice doubled, as if two were speaking at once, “Your kind does sure like to mouth off about justice. But there is no justice, there never was.” His voice returned to normal, “Your name’s Midoriya, right? We were told we could take some initiative and either kill you, or infect you. But first, a little torment.” He threw off his cloak, muscles expanding, “Show me some bloodshed!”

Izuku held up his forearm, and it immediately broke as the villain punched him into the cliff.

“Whoopsie,” he said, “Hey! Maybe you could help me out a bit first. We’re looking for a couple of kids. A bug named Hollow and some kid called Bakugo. Know where they might be around here?”

His friends? He looked at the villain, who jumped at him for another punch. Izuku dodged it, jumping to the side.

“I’ll take your silence as you have no fucking idea,” the villain chuckled, “OH good then. PLAY TIME!” He kicked Izuku in the stomach, sending him flying.

He hit the cliffside again, his head being split open. The villain laughed.

“What did you promise? That everything would be alright?” He laughed as if he was told a good joke, “How’s that working out there for ya? Don’t just lay there, dumbass!”

Izuku struggled to get open, his head bleeding into one eye. He couldn’t worry about his friends now, otherwise, he would be dead. 

Izuku punched the villain back, sending him back a couple of feet.

“You know, no one’s ever been able to do that. And, infected, I’m supposed to be stronger,” The villain laughed, “You know what? I would love to be able to kill you, over and over again. Radiance would let me. She hates you in particular. I would love that,” From his pockets, he took out a big, orange blob of glowing infection. “Eat up, kid.”

The villain forcibly shoved the pulsing, orange orb down Izuku's throat, and he choked. It was sickly sweet in taste, and it smelled equally disgusting. Izuku swiftly spat it out, but some of it had already crawled in his mouth. He convulsed and dropped to his knees as his eyes emitting an orange glow.

* * *

Izuku woke up in bed. The dream, it all seemed so real. Going to UA, the hero course… all of it.

Of course, it wasn’t. Just a dream that ended in a strange, nightmarish way. He wondered how it would have ended, if that villain wasn’t like that. He’d like to think that 100% of the strange, dream-like power his idol gave him would have blasted that guy away, of course at a terrible cost to himself.

He sighed. Izuku was on his own today. He could blend in well enough without Holly, especially since she was going to the doctor today. Still, it sucked, since her presence at school was enough for people to stop physically abusing him. Insults and emotional torment… nothing in the world could stop that unless they were together 24-7, but of course, school was so cruel.

"Quirkless freak!" one of the kids chanted in the hallways, shoving Izuku roughly. Deku dropped to the floor and scrambled to pick up his stuff, but everyone passing chose to kick him as he did this. He stood up, trying to not cry, shoving it down and going numb as people passed him, no one offering to help. Instead they all deliberately stepped on his items, hurling insults his way.

He was late for class and was scolded. Izuku sulked in his seat, and someone passed what he thought was an assignment to him.

 ** _Kill yourself_** it said.

Izuku gasped. This was the first time anyone had ever said that to him.

He was only 13 years old, but it seemed as if the worst had just started for him.

A single, white flower would be left on his desk whenever he would enter. He knew enough that these were innocent enough for the teachers to feign ignorance. His classmates wanted him to kill himself. Everyone did.

Walking alone in the rain, it would hide his tears. He was crying but the world wasn't listening. It just looked like he was wet in the rain. He could be a hero!

No, he couldn't. He was worthless. He was nothing.

But something called him, cooing, saying it would give it to him. Give it his dream. At night, in the back of his head, he could hear it.

"FREAK!" a bunch of kids jumped him after school, throwing rocks at him. Izuku ran as fast as he could, covering his head. 

"Fucking kill yourself!"

"You're worthless without a Quirk!"

"Die, Modoriya, do us all a favor!"

"You're more of a hero if you're dead you wannabe!"

Izuku tripped and they began to hit and scream more insults. He curled into a ball to protect his head as his classmates began to hit him with their own overpowered Quirks.

"Fuck off," Kacchan growled at him when Izuku asked about his black eye.

"Wh-what?" Izuku stuttered. He was 6 again. Confusion filled his mind. Wasn’t he just 13? 

Katsuki shoved him to the ground. They were at the school playground.

"Leave me alone!" he shouted, "Quirkless, defenseless Izuku!"

Izulu's eyes filled with tears, "Kacchan…. Don't let those bullies hurt you!"

Kacchan raised an eye and turned away, "You're the source of my problems! I don't want to play with you at school anymore!"

The other kids gathered and cheered him on, beginning to throw dirt at Deku. He started to cry as he saw his best friend walk away.

_Don't you want revenge?_ The voice whispered as he remembered more. 

Katsuki would shove him away and scream at him at school. Then, slowly even on the weekends. He stopped inviting him over. Kacchan started to ignore him. Then, "Defender Izuku" became "Defenseless Izuku" his nickname, once a mark of pride, was now a name filled with scorn. By the time it was middle school, Katsuki would passively throw insults at him.

Then, one day he took his hero's journal and burned it.

"Do us all a favor and take a swan dive off the roof, then in your next life you'll be granted with a Quirk," he taunted as Izuku began crying again.

"You'll never be a hero without a Quirk," All Might, his idol, his hero, told him, "Sorry kid, you're not cut out for the job."

Izuku's self-worth and sense of self spiraled down, down, down. He was in the bathroom and picked up a razor blade. When was this memory? No, this all happened. This was his reality. UA and getting powers was all a fever dream he wished.

Holding out his wrists he cut himself, the pain chasing away the numb. A warm, loving, sickly sweet voice cheered him on, encouraging him, promising him. Izuku cut himself, again and again, until the bathroom was a bloody mess. He felt dizzy, high, in control. 

If he dies, he becomes powerful.

If he dies and gives in, it'll grant him powers.

He can become the greatest hero!

_Just...kill….yourself...and give in. Give into me, give into me._

* * *

Holly saw the disgusting villain shove the orange down Izuku's throat. It stepped back and laughed as Izuku collapsed on the ground, convulsing as orange began to smoke off of him.

Holly jumped up on his head as he laughed and brought down the old Nail, slashing down at the rapidly expanding muscles.

The villain screamed in surprise and staggered away from Izuku, his own Quirk against him as those first holes expanded as well, gushing out orange infection and blood. He put his hand to his neck as Holly kept hacking until his head was halfway chopped off. The muscles shrunk, allowing Holly to get through the bone, and he collapsed to his side. Holly jumped off, wiping the blood off her hands and onto her shirt as she dashed to Izuku.

"Deku, wake up!" she shook him as orange mist poured from his eyes. She hugged him, then slapped him, but Izuku was crying through the tears, his own mind slowly going down into corruption.

"Deku, I care! Fight it!" Holly cried out. But he could not hear.

She couldn't think of anything other than killing, and Holly knew it would spell disastrous consequences to kill the Bearer of One for All. But then, a strange idea.  
The Dream Nail glowed, but instead of slashing at him, Holly stabbed him. The Nail Glowed as dreamcatchers filled his eyes and mouth. 

* * *

"Deku!" 

His own timeline was suddenly back. No, Katsuki didn't tell him to kill himself before he cut, and All Might didn't either. That happened after. And… it wasn’t as brutal as it was. Katsuki mostly ignored him until they were like… 14? Before they went to UA. He had too… or the teachers would sabotage his grades. Luckily for Deku, because of his Quirkless nature at the time, the teachers didn’t… why the hell would UA accept him anyways? That was enough. It was sweet to them to see someone like him get so close, only to fall short of the one thing he needed: a Quirk.

Where, or better, when is he? Confusion filled his mind as Izuku became aware.

Izuku wore a hoodie over his school clothes, to hide the cuts. He was just 13 again, and he was numb, numb, numb.

“Deku!” They shout again. That’s his friend. His only friend. 

He flinches. The suicidal attempt had failed, and he didn't want to talk.

"Deku, what is wrong? Is it those bullies?” she asks him.

"No," he replies, sore. He's been crying.

"You're hiding something."

Izuku shrinks away, but she grabs him by the wrists. Izuku yelps and she uncovers it.

Izuku's face goes red in shame. But she doesn't scold him. She doesn't scorn. She brings her lips to the cuts and kisses them gently, lovingly, letting the Soul she collected heal him instead.

"Holly," he sighs. It feels so good. The rush of happiness almost feels orgasmic as he lets out a sound of pure relief. Oh god, what the hell. It was a rush of pure, unfiltered _good_. 

"Do not hurt yourself," she says, holding out her hand. Reluctantly, he gives the other one, and she repeats it. 

There are tears in his eyes as Holly kisses them off his cheeks, the Soul taking away the tiredness. 

"You matter to me, Izuku Midoriya," she says simply, "Do not throw it away."

Izuku's hands became fists as Holly grabbed him and led him away from school.

"Where are we going?" he asked, "School's that way."

"Today, we will ditch. You need a day off."

Izuku blushes, but he lets her do it. To spend a day with his true best friend was better than the torment of the school. Izuku relives the day. They go back to her house and watch movies, they cuddle, and he cries. He cries so much. He confesses how he was planning to kill himself. He’s losing himself, he’s drowning. And she listens. She is such a good listener.

Hornet says nothing when she finds them. She’s a hero. The Princess Knight Hero offers counseling, but he declines.

He relives that night, his crying in relief. They care. It’s all he needed, someone who cares.

Time rewinds again. He’s 6 years old and Katsuki was actually in time-out the entire time for starting a fight earlier that day. The teacher is keeping him there with her Quirk, but he's screaming at the crowd. A black figure jumps in front of him. Izuku’s tormentors are chased away by the swinging flurry of a stick, and the dark protection. Holly helps him up. She has re-learned human behaviours and hugs him. They stare at Katsuki, who stares back. He frowns and stomps his feet angrily. He missed the fight.

Forward again. Holly scolds Katsuki for joining again, even when she thinks Izuku isn’t around. Katsuki cries and laments the loss. He doesn’t want Holly’s help. He can defend himself with his own Quirk, but he needs to act like this. Act like he doesn’t give a shit about their Quirkless friend. Don’t tell Deku, the bugs will know when it’s false. They don’t know he was stalking them, that he wanted to watch them. But he remembers. And while he's sad he can't be with Kacchan anymore, he understands why. Holly can't protect both of them.... this would be the best solution. 

Still, it stings a little.

Faster now. Izuku watches as Holly beats the kids who threw those rocks. She beats them, then while they’re down, she continues to punch and kick their bodies. A lesson. 

They stop jumping Izuku after that day. And anyone who dares try is met with the same fate. Izuku is glad the physical abuse has stopped, for the most part.

The verbal ones never do. But he has his friend. He has his hopes. He remembers All Might promising his power. His training with his hero. Clearing the beach. Gaining the power. He got into UA. He got away from those terrible bugs. He was friends with Kacchan again. He made new friends, a big group of wild, adventurous boys who all wanted to be heroes. Shoto, reserved, but with a fierce passion for inspiring others. Denki and Eijiro's wild and terrible ideas for mischief, to bring up the mood. Kacchan's wild temper and even wilder drive to be the best. Holly, who would support all of them, but the voice of reason when even Shoto got carried away with conspiracy theories. 

That voice, it's screaming. _No! Remember the pain! Don’t you want true power? Revenge on those who wronged you?! Actual people who will always care, always be with you, never leave you alone like they did when you were at the arcade?!_

 _I have true power!_ Izuku screams back. A warm darkness surrounds him, inviting him back. The souls of the past users are on his side, his friends, everyone in his mind. Izuku screams. _I have true friends! GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HEAD!_

_**SMASH!** _

* * *

There is awareness. Izuku is back in the moment. He feels the last of that sickly sweet call leave his mind angrily. Izuku jumps back with a yelp, his face going red.

“H-Holly?” His voice is high, “Wh-what?”

Holly smiles at him, “You’re back. I did not wish to kill you.”

Izuku looks around. Kota is staring at Holly with reverence. Behind her, the villain who shoved that foulness in his mouth, dead. And Holly is holding the Nail she killed him with.

Izuku blushed, hard. He was confused, dazed. He just relived the worst moments of his life. And he relived what kept him from killing himself.

“Deku,” Holly put a hand on his shoulder, “That was just to bring you back. Apologies if it-”

“Let’s just go,” He interrupted. He didn’t want to dwell on it. Shove it to the side and think about it later. There is only now. “Those villains want to kidnap you and Kacchan. We need to warn everyone!” He looked at Kota and grabbed him, “Come on! We need to help the others!”

“Wait, Deku!” They pointed at his clearly broken arm, “Let me at least help fix it!”

He couldn’t argue with that. He put Kota down for a moment as Holly expertly re-fitted the bone under his skin. He yelped in pain, but Holly cut him open, slicing down to the bone. They put their entire mouth over the new would, almost completely putting that part of his arm in their mouth.

He couldn’t help but wonder how big this bug could expand her mouth before she flashed. Izuku’s eyes fluttered for a moment in pure ecstasy. 

“Deku, Deku!” Holly caught him.

“Oh fuuuuck,” he muttered, then tried to shake his head, “You...you completely healed it!”

“Mandalay and Ragdoll said since I’m not venomous like Hornet, I might be able to do that,” they explained, “You’re the first one I tried that on.” 

He grabbed Kota again, who seemed sort of dumbfounded by the entire thing.

“Let’s go and get him to safety, and find the others,” Izuku said again.

Holly nodded, and together, they ran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeyyy you made it to the end of the chapter! Lots of shit happened, didn't it?  
> To confirm, I killed Mezo Shoji and Kyoka Jiro. Those are their dead bodies indeed!  
> I've had a good chunk of this chapter written out ever since I finished Shoto's chapter with the Grimm Troupe and winning Grimmchild (whom, if you've noticed, is not here because Shoto was not allowed to take him to camp! Oh no!)  
> So most of Izuku losing his mind.... I've had that planned out for a while :D  
> It's... really fucked. And sad. I made myself cry a little writing it ;w;  
> But now you can see how Radiance can appeal to someone who can get infected. If you reject the offer, you won't be infected. But Izuku almost gave in, considering his past. Radiance can twist and fuck up your mind, and will do whatever to make you give in. Luckily, Holly was able to wake him up again ;3  
> I also cried when Holly defeated the Broken Vessel/Lost Kin. It was a sad, quiet battle between two Vessels. At least Lost Kin taught Holly a new spell before he disappeared forever to wherever he may be ;w; Holly has a lot of questions for Hornet when they get out of this hellhole.  
> Lots of sadness. But hope now too! Hopefully Katsuki and Shoto can handle themselves against someone who now has an unknown body count!
> 
> NEXT TIME: MORE CHILDREN DYING  
> Thank you for leaving comments! LEAVE MOAR. I WUV THEM <3333


	40. The Eye of the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku and Holly make it back to the training camp, but only briefly. They have Mandalay broadcast a message for all before disappearing back into the woods. Meanwhile, two students of Class 1-B face off the eye of the storm.

“They’re after you and Kacchan,” Deku said as they ran through the woods quickly, “You’re one of their targets.”   


“Then we should stick together and find him,” Holly replied, “I would be a fool to go off on my own. If they are all infected, then their Quirks are even deadlier.”   


“I’m glad you came,” Izuku said, looking out, “He was toying with me. I think he would have killed me.”   


“Or you would have killed yourself trying,” Holly said, “You are one lucky bastard that I can heal others.”

“Yeah,” Izuku thought for a moment. From the villain’s words, it sounded like they were after certain students. To kill him, and maybe his friends too. But why? Specifically, why them? To kill or infect.

It could be their connections to Hornet. She was the last living Higher Being, as the Bugs called her. Half of one, at least. Radiance must want to break her will, by killing them, or by turning them into mind slaves.

At least he felt like at full strength now, if he had to do a full smash again. He was lucky Holly was so ruthless. They were told to not engage, but she was clearly covered in that villain’s blood, and some of Izuku’s own from his injury. Mr. Aizawa was probably going to throttle them as soon as this was all over. 

* * *

“Nice move,” The black-haired, stitched up villain looked up at Mr. Aizawa, who had jumped up the wall and was on there, his single eye glowing bright red, “Guess you really are a pro.”

“Not so fast,” Mr. Aizawa threw down his capture weapon, wrapping the villain up quickly. He jumped, bringing the villain closer and kneeing his eyes. 

The villain landed on his stomach with a  _ thud _ , and Mr. Aizawa pinned him. 

“What do you want and where are your friends hiding?” He asked calmly, breaking his enemy’s arm.

“My what?” The villain asked, playing dumb.

Mr. Aizawa broke it again, “Your right arm’s next.”

The villain let out a surprised grunt as his bones nearly popped out of his skin.

“Be logical about this,” Mr. Aizawa said with the coldest, most deadpan voice, “At least save your legs. It would be a real pain to have to carry you off to jail without them.”

“You can take your time, Eraser Head,” The villain replied roughly, as fire lit up in the distance.

Mr. Aizawa gasped, and he hadn’t even blinked. “What’s that?”   


“Mr. Aizawa!” one of his students called.

A quick, mental headcount. Five of Class 1-A had made it back to safety. Ashido, Asui, Uraraka, Ojiro, and Koda. The girls looked like they had snapped out of a trance. So Shinso brainwashed and ordered them all back. Good boy. He was probably trying to brainwash the other villains, if he even could. They could all be infected, and out of his reach. 

“Stay back,” He ordered the students as the villain threw him off.

“That’s exactly the type of performance I’d expect out of a UA teacher,” He said, grinning, “Tell me, hero.”   


Mr. Aizawa tried to pull him back into his thrall, but his scarf melted through the villain. As he melted away, the villain said darkly, “You worried for your students? I wonder if you can save them, in the end.” The villain became just a puddle of greyed-out orange, “See you soon.”

Mr. Aizawa stared at the gunk for a second as his students ran over. But he ran past them.

“Everyone get inside!” He ordered, “I’ll be back!”

* * *

A villain wearing a black costume with a grey and black mask kept sliding his finger over his throat. “Come on Dabi! You got your ass handed to you! By a magic scarf!”

“How weak,” Dabi replied, another hand on the tree, “That happened fast, huh?”

“Huh, don’t say that,” The other replied, hand out to Dabi sympathetically, “Better to frame this as the pro being too strong.” He wagged his finger, “ It’s important to mind your self-esteem, even on a perilous mission.”   


“Whatever Twice. Just make another one of me. We need to keep those pros occupied.”   


Twice turned to him and flipped Dabi the bird, “Another small fry comin’ right up!” He then flashed a thumbs up, “Leave it to me!”

* * *

“Just a little bit further,” Izuku gasped as they ran through the woods.

“Hey, look!” Kota called, pointing. They stopped.

“Mr. Aizawa!” Holly and Izuku called at the same time. 

“Midoriya? Hollow?” Mr. Aizawa stopped and looked at them.

They were both covered in blood, and Midoriya looked as if he sustained some sort of head injury. It looked like just a cut for now, but otherwise the pair seemed fine.

“You’re here. Thank goodness,” Midoriya gasped, the small boy climbing off his back, “I need to catch you up on what I’ve learned about the villains, but we don’t have that much time.”   


“Hey-”   


“Plus we need to find Mandalay. There’s something that I have to tell her-”   


“Hold on!” Mr. Aizawa said.

“Please, take care of Kota while we’re gone,” He said as Holly jumped onto his back.

They both seemed to be running on pure adrenaline, working together like a team, thinking the same things. Guess knowing each other your entire lives would do that, if they were as close as Mr. Aizawa suspected. Midoriya took off with Holly clinging to his back.

“Wait, Midoriya! Hollow!” Mr. Aizawa called.

Midoriya stopped for a second, and both eyes peered at him, fast, desperate, mind going a million miles an hour and needing to save the others.

None of his students had the authority to harm villains. Last time, Hornet had given them explicit permission, and had trained them to face Stain specifically. Stain died officially to a punctured lung due to Hornet’s own fault, but he knew it was the splatter of Iida, the boy he expelled.

And yet… no! He couldn’t, didn’t want to think about losing any more children tonight.

“Go,” He told them, “But tell Mandalay something for me, too.”

* * *

Tiger was punching the villain known as Magne, who parried him expertly.

“No fair,” Magne complained, “Back off! Let me equip my item.”   


Tiger growled and made a roundhouse kick that missed as he swung his fists at the villain, who kept dodging.

At the same time, Mandalay was dealing with Spinner, who was swinging his oversized sword of swords wildly.

“You’re not a real hero!” He roared as he continued to swipe every which way. He raised it up, high, “You brought this on yourself girl!”

“Jeez, you’re persistent,” Mandalay said, jumping back with the grace of a cat.

“As are you,” Spinner replied with some hints of respect, “But it’s time to knock you off your false throne!”

“SMASH!” Izuku Midoriya appeared and completely smashed through the sword, breaking it into a million pieces.

“Mandalay!” He called, “Kota! He’s safe!”   


“You found him?” Mandalay was posed to strike from the ground, but she looked as Midoriya landed on the ground, Hollow glued to his back and watching almost passively at the fight, an old rusty Nail on her back.

“And we’ve got a message from Mr. Aizawa! We need you to use Telepath!” He slid across the ground, looking her in the eyes.

Mandalay didn’t miss the fact that both seemed to be soaked in drying blood, but it didn’t appear to be coming from any wounds on their bodies.

“Tell everyone in Class A and Class B that Eraser Head has granted them all permission to engage in combat with the villains!”

Mandalay nodded, and a pink flash went out.

_ Everyone in Class A and Class B! In the name of the pro hero, Eraser Head, you are granted permission to engage in combat! I repeat! Use your training! You may fight these villains! _

“Get back to camp right now, both of you!” Mandalay ordered, “You’re injured, and covered in blood!”   


“Apologizes, but we cannot,” Holly called from his back as Midoriya glowed again, beginning to run.

“You need to send one more thing!” Midoriya called as he began to run away, “The villains! I know one reason why they’re here! They’re after Kacchan! Please you have to let the others know!”

“Huh?” Mange suddenly paused his fighting with Tiger, looking at the pair as they ran past him.

“Kacchan? Who’s that?” Mandalay looked up and dodged a kick from Spinner, “No! Wait! Stop!”

Mange looked at Midoriya running past, his face going pale. He lunged at them, ignoring Tiger.

“Don’t, Big Sis Mag!” Spinner threw a dagger, and Mange stopped on their tracks to avoid the knife that was thrown in between them. The pair of students disappeared into the forest.

“What the hell was that for Spinner?” Mange yelled, “He was on the priority kill list, and that little bug was one of our priorities too!”

“Shigaraki and Radiance are the ones who wants him dead,” Spinner explained.

“Uh, yeah, and they’re the reason why we’re here!”

“But that boy is someone Stain wished to save. Which means he was deemed worthy of being called a true hero. If Stain spared him them-”

Their conversation was abruptly interrupted as both were punched in the face, being swiftly knocked out.

“About time I got a solid hit in!” Mandalay yelled. She looked out in the woods, and once again, the pink flash went throughout the forest.

_ Listen, we’ve discovered one of the villains’ targets. It’s a student named Kacchan. Kacchan, you should try to avoid combat. And stick to a group. I hope you can hear me! _

* * *

“I can focus if you get out of my damn head!” Katsuki ran towards the villain, “I can take care of myself!”

A wall of ice stopped him on his tracks as razors poked out, sharp and deadly.

“Don’t rush into this fight carelessly!” Shoto shouted at him.

“Have...to keep going,” The villain moaned, “Have to work. _dO mYyYYy jOB_ ,” he let out a pained, gasping growl.

“Weren’t you listening to Mandalay?” Shoto asked him, “They’re here because they’re after you.”

“Telling us not to engage and then changing their minds,” Katsuki scoffed, “I don’t know how but I get the feeling this is Deku and Holly’s fault.” He let out a yell, going in front of the ice, “Well I don’t care what anyone says! He needs to die!”

Shoto let out more ice as the villain retraced his blades, then gracefully disappeared behind the trees.

“Damn it!” Shoto looked after the place he disappeared, “He’s good at moving through this terrain with his Quirk.”   


“This freak looks like a scrawny sidekick to me! Come on you bastard!”

Blades rose out as Shoto let out another pillar of ice to protect him. The villain rose again from the trees.

“Show meeee,” he groaned, “Your exquisite flesshhh…. Iiff you waaannt to liiiive, give into Radiancccce.”

Katsuki’s hands began to light up, but Shoto quickly yelled, “We can’t start fires around here because the flames will spread! Everyone could die if we’re not careful! Do you understand me?”

“Yeah I get it, I’m not stupid!” Katsuki glared at the villain angrily. 

Shoto glanced behind him. Even if they retreated, there’s poison gas everywhere. This villain was obviously trying to back them into some sort of corner. Hopefully the boy he was carrying would eventually wake up. He still had a pulse, however faint it was.

* * *

  
“Did you hear what she said?!” Tetsutetsu exclaimed, “We’ve got permission to punch people!”   


“Wait, Tetsutetsu!” Kendo called, chasing after him as they both ran through the poisonous gas, “Do you understand how this gas works?”

“Yeah, it’s dangerous,” Tetsutetsu stopped to look at her, “Give me some credit Kendo.”

“Listen!” Kendo caught up to him, “Mandalay didn’t say anything about the gas in her message! That means it must not have spread to wherever she’s broadcasting her message from. But that doesn’t make any sense. This gas is moving really slowly. Normally it would spread out more, right? This is staying in one place. It’s not acting naturally.” She pointed to where they had just come from, “And look. It’s definitely denser there than it is here.”   


“OK. So what?”   


“I think it’s swirling around one source,” Kendo pointed to another, thicker area, “Somewhere around here. Like a typhoon. If that’s true, there should be someone who’s producing the gas at the center of the storm. A villain who’s controlling it.”

“Oh I get it now!” Tetsutetsu lit up in understanding, “Oh man Kendo! You’re so amazing!”

“I figured you missed the signs,” Kendo said, only half annoyed, “That’s why I came with you. OK.” She gestured to their masks, “The closer we get to the center of the swirl the thicker the gas will be. That’s a problem. There’s a limit to how much gas these masks can filter. And the thicker the gas, the shorter the functioning time. That means-”

“Ah! We run head first into the center of the typhoon and punch whoever’s there!” Tetsutetsu interrupted, taking off towards the thicker fog.

Kendo ran after him and groaned. “Well technically yeah!”

“Shiozaki and the others suffered because of this villain’s stupid power!” Tetsutetsu declared angrily, “Stuff like that really pisses me off.” He glanced behind to look at Kendo, rage in his eyes, “Let’s teach this guy a lesson, Kendo!”

Kendo let out a brief, happy chortle at that.

The fog began to swirl visibly, the eye of the storm. It was thick, so very thick that you could hardly see in front of yourself. Choking, and if you inhaled it, you would die, so think and poisonous it was at this range. 

“I found you!” Tetsutetsu yelled, throwing out a punch.

_ BAM! _

The gunshot rang across the camp, a whipped crack that seemed to make some of the students pause.

“Ah,” the villain held the smoking gun, wearing very heavy gear, “I saw you on TV at the Sport’s Festival. You can make your skin hard.” Tetsutetsu’s mask fell off from his face as the villain almost seemed to laugh at him, “That means you’re bulletproof!”

Tetsutetsu stumbled backwards, clutching his head and reeling from the shock of being shot at in the face.

“Eh. That doesn’t really matter. Because now it’s just a matter of how long you can hold your breath in this toxic miasma.”

Tetsutetsu glared at the villain, taking note of his middle school uniform and the fact that he was shorter. They were probably the same age. Tetsutetsu charged at him again, and was shot once more, his entire steel body ringing as he stumbled backwards.

“What, do you think you’re the Terminator?” The villain mocked, then held out his hands as if holding a lesson in school, “Even if you’re bulletproof, charging straight in is a fool’s move.” He tapped his head, as if asking if Tetsutetsu could think, “Shouldn’t you be smarter if you’re going to UA?” He pointed the gun sideways, “Don’t be so rash. Use your head.”

Tetsutetsu jumped forward, intercepting the bullet that the villain fired again at the hidden Kendo.

“Tetsutetsu!” Kendo yelled.

“It’s not good!” Tetsutetsu’s voice was muffled with his covered hand, “Retreat!”

The villain let out a mad laugh, as if he couldn’t believe what they were doing, “Two again one and you were banking on a surprise attack.” He wagged his finger at the students, 

“What a simple plan! I expected better.” More gas seemed to pour out of him, thicker, heavier, clouding the night and making it dark, the only thing visibly now was the villain’s glowing red eyes from his mask, “I’m producing this gas but that’s not all. The gas is showing me it’s movements with its fluctuations! In other words, you can’t hide from me, you arrogant UA students. Why didn’t you figure that out, huh?”

Tetsutetsu looked around, trying to find the source of the storm as the villain delighted in making everything so thick, it was difficult to see his own hands in the moonlit night.

“You’re shattering the image I had of your school. What a shame.”

Tetsutetsu charged towards the voice, but missed as he was shot in the head.

“Moron,” The villain said, holding up the gun and firing again at his temple, “What’s this? You seem softer than you were earlier. Let me guess, maybe metal fatigue?”

Blood poured out of Tetsutetsu’s forehead, but for now, it was only a scratch, a crack in his head that, when he turned back human, would be one nasty cut.

“Or is it because you can’t breathe anymore? How many more shots can you take? Brace yourself for another.”

_ BAM! _

Tetsutetsu was forced to let out his depleting oxygen, screaming in pain as he was shot in the exact same place again. He clutched his forehead, trying to breathe through his hands again.

“Don’t they usually do endurance tests for people like you who have simple, one-note Quirks? And yet, you still rush in like you’re indestructible.”

_ BAM! _

“Hey, you guys want to grow up to be heroes, right?” The villain reloaded his gun, “Something about that is so strange to me.”

_ BAM! _

_ BAM! _

_ BAM! _

“For people to fawn over someone like you,”  _ BAM!  _ “A one-trick pony,”  _ BAM! _ “Just because of WHERE YOU WENT TO SCHOOL.”  _ BAM! _

The villain ran to Tetsutetsu and kicked him.

“That’s what’s wrong with this world! That’s why She will make it alright! She will fix these injustices, these idiocies, and let everyone be equal!”

Tetsutetsu couldn’t breathe. The world was spinning, as he was hit with another gunshot. The corners of his eyes going black as he fought for consciousness, fought through the pain. 

“Stop!” Kendo yelled, charging as he reloaded again, swinging for a punch.

The villain dodged, “I told you I can tell how you’re moving thanks to the gas.”

“I don’t give a  **FUCK** if you know where I am!” Kendo screamed, enlarging her hand and knocking him back.

“I can’t believe you think you’ll win with that pitiful Quirk,” the villain mocked, stepping back into the thickness of the fog.

“Whether it’s pitiful or not,” She enlarged her other one and began to fan away to fog with giant, quick sweeps of her arms, “Completely depends on how I use it!”

The fog was forced away and was slow to come back as giant winds came from Kendo’s movements as she swept away the poisonous gas, thinning it out.

“Just how much power do those stupid hands of yours have?” The villain screamed at her, desperately trying to reload now.

“You’re pathetic!” Kendo yelled at him, “Carrying a gun around in that dumb uniform is basically saying you know you can’t win a fight on your own merits!”

“You little-” He held out the gun, ready to fire, when from the fog Tetsutetsu appeared like a deadly mannequin. He punched the villain, hard, shattering the gas mask he wore. Tetsutetsu buried him into the dirt, and some of the villain’s teeth flew out of his mouth.

Kendo swiped her hands more as the poison slowly dissipated. Tetsutetsu let out a huge breath of air, gulping at the now completely purified air.

“If a gas user is wearing his own gas,” Tetsutetsu gasped, looking down at the knocked out villain with pure rage, “then there’s only one thing to do! Break it.”   
He collapsed to the ground, gasping still. Tetsutetsu now sported several nasty cuts on his face, all circular in origin. But he was going to live.

“You’re gonna pay for ruining our camp,” Tetsutetsu said, “And for shooting me. Stupid kid.”

* * *

Izuku ran with Holly clinging to his back, noticing that the pink fog has now disappeared. Whatever those gunshots were, someone had taken care of it. Probably Tetsutetsu, since he was the only bulletproof one here. 

Kacchan and Shoto had gone second in the test of courage. If they didn’t go back to camp, then they were still around here somewhere.

“ _ Move, move, move your body! _ ” A voice sang, and Izuku found himself flinging his body aside without thought, without question.

“Hitoshi?!” Izuku asked as the pair now got up.

“Shhh,” He whispered quickly, “I’ve been trying to calm him down all night, but I ordered everyone else to retreat to camp. So far, everyone’s made it back alive and without injury. Counting you and Holly now, 13 out of the 18 of us are still alive.” Hitoshi looked over, “Dark Shadow’s been on a rampage, ever since one of the villains attacked Tokoyami.”

“Don’t tell me-” Izuku gasped.

“Yeah,” Hitoshi sighed, a bit annoyed, “If we want to get through here, we’ll have to face Dark Shadow first.”

Dark Shadow let out a roar, and his master screamed for them to stay away, or they’d die.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun to write some cute Tetsutetsu, even if he angy boi uwu  
> So instead of running into Shoji (who is dead at this point) they run into our siren :D  
> He's been trying to sing Dark Shadow to calm down, but because Dark Shadow is linked to Tokoyami's emotions, he's a bit too powerful to sing into submission, and too dangerous to directly try to control. (he will attack at noise unless he's being sung to a somewhat calm state)  
> Here we finally get a head count on how many are alive so far :D  
> yaaayyy so 13 kids! Whooo! But 2 are confirmed dead and more are on the way!  
> Next chapter: shit hits the fan so hard that the splatter will leave it stinking for weeks.  
> Leave a comment on your predictions <3 Thanks for reading!


	41. Praying for a Higher Being

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dark Shadow is tamed, and the group makes its way back to camp. Friends are taken, and Todoroki does what he's never done before: pray. The King of Nightmares answers, smiting the heathens and starting them on the path of victory.

“But how did he get this way?!” Izuku asked as the beast seemed to stalk, “Holly, you were with him, wh-”   


“I was tossed into the trees. He saw me stabbed through the stomach,” Holly interrupted him, peering past the bushes, “I had to face another, and did not check on him. I prioritized you over him.”

“Keep it down,” Hitoshi hissed, “I saw some guy attack him after ordering the girls back to headquarters. It doesn’t matter how, what matters is calming him down, or getting him some light.”

Izuku glanced at the rampaging Dark Shadow, “The darker it is, the less control he has, but I had no idea Dark Shadow could explode like this.”

“Probably fueled by the stress of the night,” Hitoshi whispered, then sang, “ _ Turn around, turn around, turn around and look away. _ ” He picked up a stone and threw it over Dark Shadow, hitting the tree loudly.

Dark Shadow went a little bit away from them, attacking some trees with owls in them.

“If we can lead him to a fire or back to camp, we can contain it.” Holly whispered, “We can’t just leave him behind like this.”   


Izuku’s face lit up, “Wait, we’re looking for Shoto and Kacchan Hitoshi! They’re both closer than any camp or fire. And a group, it would be much safer as soon as we calmed down Dark Shadow. I have an idea.”

The pair looked at him, but there was a determined spark in Izuku’s eyes.

* * *

“Fleeessh,” The toothy villain moaned, “Pieces of meat.” A flurry of razor sharp teeth came down as he screamed.

Todoroki put up another wall of ice, jumping back as some went through his ice. He checked the boy’s pulse. Stronger. Better. That’s good.

“Teeth attacks? Seriously?” Bakugo yelled, annoyed at the villain, “It’s time to blast this villain with-”   


“You can’t!” Todoroki warned him once again.

"If the trees burn then cover them with ice stupid!”   


“A big explosion will impair my vision though! I may not be able to see the fire. And how are you going to get close to him anyway?”   


Bakugo let out an enraged growl. 

Explosions in the distance. Huge ones, coming straight for them. The boys stopped to see what was going to be thrown at them next.

“There! I see ice! They’re fighting!” The familiar voice of a certain string bean shouted above the explosions.

Even the villain turned as trees were violently thrown away, roots and all.

“We need light!” Holly shouted at them as she, Midoriya and Shinso all gunned it towards them

Tokoyami let out a scream as his Dark Shadow rampaged towards them. Todoroki was ready to light it up when Bakugo shouted for him to stop, then pointed at the tooth villain.

“Flessshh… Slabs of meeeaaat.” The villain began to get up using only his teeth, then turned to Dark Shadow, “I’m the one that getssss to slice them opeeennn….DON’T STEAL FROM MEEEEEEE!!” More blades popped out of his mouth, heading straight for Dark Shadow.

Dark Shadow grabbed him. “You don’t matter. Insignificant bug!” The blades broke under Dark Shadow’s grip as he dragged the villain through the dirt, leaving a huge, dark orange stain, as if using his body like a marker. He slammed their remains into a tree, where only the villain’s legs and torso remained.

“Not enough! It’s not enough!” Dark Shadow screamed, its eyes growing red, insane cracks in them.

Todoroki dropped the boy he was carrying as he and Bakugo jumped towards Tokoyami, explosions and fire lighting up the area brightly.

Dark Shadow diminished into only a small, little shadow, curling into itself as Tokoyami panted, shaking. The boys said nothing, but looked at the stained, visible remains.

“Thanks,” Tokoyami gasped, clutching his chest tightly.

Todoroki looked over to the remains of a torso and legs, “We could barely defend against that guy and you beat him instantly.”

Holly bent down and put a hand on Tokoyami’s shoulder, “My friend, are you OK?”

“I just...killed a guy…”

“You did what we needed you to,” Holly assured him.

He looked at his hands, shaking, “I… After I saw him stab you like that, anger suddenly consumed me. And I let my Quirk take over. The influence of the darkness, combined with my fury, spurred Dark Shadow into a frenzy. And I ended up- I ended up…” He let out a sob.

Holly took his chin and made Tokoyami look them in the eyes, “We’ll deal with that later. That’s what you’d say if our roles were reversed.”

“Holly,” Todoroki interrupted the moment, grabbing the boy from 1-B that had passed out, “Can you heal him? I can’t remember if you can only do cuts…”

“I can try,” Holly replied, walking to Todoroki and slashing the Dream Nail through him.

_ I hope you can, because I don’t want to risk him being shot behind my back, especially with villains after Bakugo. _

They knelt down to the boy from 1-B and kissed his eyelids, then tenderly on the lips. Up close, he could see the Soul Holly had taken from him, using it to heal the passed out boy.

“Hey, Todoroki, can I have some ice,” Shinso’s silence scared the shit out of Todoroki as he jumped. He laughed, “Look man, my throat is sore and some ice to munch on would be nice.”   


“Uhm, sure,” Todoroki said, making crushed ice and handing it over. Shinso started to eat on it gratefully, throwing his head back and letting it slide down his probably very sore throat.

Meanwhile, the boy’s eyelids fluttered for a moment before they popped wide open to a bug kissing him deeply. The boy jumped back in surprise and confusion. 

“It’s OK!” Midoirya said hurriedly, “She-they were just healing you!”

The boy’s face went red anyways, then his eyes slanted away. “What happened? I remember trying to scare you guys with invisible walls… then… nothing.”

“Poison gas knocked you out. I dragged you out before it could kill you. I’ve been carrying you all night and then our classmate healed you,” Todoroki said to him. “What’s your name?”

“Tsuburaba,” The boy was still staring at Holly, and his face read it all. 

“I meant nothing of it,” Holly said, “I was trying to get the poison out of you, and wake you up.”   


“Well,” he let out a strange mix of a laugh and a cry, “You certainly woke me up, princess.”

Todoroki half expected Bakugo to punch Tsuburaba straight back to sleep, but he just rolled his eyes. He actually looked more like he was still thinking about the way Dark Shadow decimated the villain, like he’d gotten a cold shock. Midoriya was having more of a reaction, looking a bit jealous, but was hiding it well. If Todoroki didn’t know better, one might say he looked more nervous around the villains than actually a bit jealous Holly had to kiss someone to heal them. 

A sad thought occurred to him, that Midoriya could be  _ addicted  _ to how good the kisses felt. The unconditional happiness that was shot through the brain, straight from the would the bug would lay their addictive kiss. 

It might have been why Mr. Aizawa banned them from pushing too hard to the point of hurting themselves, less they all get addicted.

Or he was completely wrong and Midoirya had a major crush on a bug that was taken. 

“I don’t know if you heard Mandalay, but it’s Kacchan they’re after,” Midoriya said, “But not just him, they’re after Holly too.”   


“Bakugo and Holly? Are they trying to kill them?” Tokoyami asked.

“Why?” Tsuburaba asked.   


“I’m not sure,” Midoriya replied, “But I think we should get back to camp. It’s the safest place for now so long as Vlad King and Mr. Aizawa have regrouped there.”   


“I understand,” Tokoyami said, “So our mission is to get these two back to safety by serving as their protectors.”   


“It’s possible that the Pussycats are still fighting in the clearing,” Holly said sagely, “Going that way would draw the attention of the villains.”   


“Plus it's longer,” Midoirya agreed, “We should cut straight across.”   


“We don’t know how many enemies there are. We might come across more,” Todoroki said.

“We are down three. I’ve battled two this night and defeated them both,” Holly said, but Todoroki got the feeling that they didn’t just defeat them. They always wore a poker face, but if it was like the Nomu at the USJ Incident, she didn’t hesitate to kill it.

“We can also use Shoto’s freezing power. And Hitoshi could brainwash them, or sing them into a trance. And Dark Shadow, if you’re OK with it Fumikage, now that we can actually control him.” Midoriya looked at them all, “Honestly, with a group like this, we could even go up against All Might.”

Todoroki didn’t miss that Bakugo still looked quite lost in the fact that the villains were specifically after  _ him _ . 

“I’d be fine by myself!” Bakugo said, speaking up finally.

“You’re a fool if you think you can, Kacchan,” Holly said, “Even I would not dare battle them all by myself, so cool yourself. You can’t risk setting ablaze this forest.”

“We’ll surround you as we walk,” Todoroki said, then looked at Shinso.

“Oh yeah, I will completely mind control you the entire way there if you’re an idiot,” Shinso said, still eating on the ice that was made.

Like an angry pomeranian, Bakugo growled, but they all formed a protective circle around the pair. Tsuburaba, Shinso and himself to their sides, Tokoyami bringing the rear and Midoriya to the front. Honestly, it was a good lineup for them all.

“Well, at least I can count 15 of Class 1-A still alive and somewhat safe,” Shinso said, “Three remain missing.”   
Todoroki realized that none of them noticed the remains of two. Hell, Dark Shadow could have swept them away in its frenzy. He looked up at the sky.

“Actually, two are confirmed dead,” His voice took a soft, sad tone, “That villain Tokoyami stopped? We found it on the remains of our two...he was eating them…”

Everyone else seemed to gasp at this, but Shinso only nodded, “That leaves Momo Yaoyorozu. Hopefully she’s still OK. I brainwashed and forced the other girls in our class to go back. Before I let them go I could count through their eyes how many were left. But I let them go after I found Tokoyami.”

“Do you think… will the others in my class be OK?” Tsuburaba asked softly.

“Last time this happened, Class 1-A nearly got wiped out,” Bakugo said, surprisingly calm, “Everyone kept talking about how they almost lost limbs or died grossly. They got the jump on us then, and they did now.”

Shinso looked at Tsuburaba, “We might not have seen Yaoyorozu because she passed out gas masks and everyone is safe. And someone from your class stopped the gas villain. So hopefully no one else died.”

There was a scream. A heart-wrenching, piss-inducing screech that seemed to come from the depths of some poor soul. Todoroki had never pissed himself in fear, ever, but this scream involuntarily emptied his bladder at how sudden and nerve-wracking it was as he instantly turned around. 

“What a set of lungs,” there was a villain with a top hat, in a yellow overcoat, wearing a mask in a tree above them. He was casually playing with a marble in his hands… and Tokoyami, Holly, and Bakugo were all gone.

“Nice trick, eh? I didn’t expect that girl to even notice, much less have enough time to react like that. But I suppose she’s a bug too, so her hearing is more sensitive than any human’s.” He said with class, leaning on his cane as if on a Sunday stroll, “These lads, their talents would be more than squandered if they took the path of heroes. We’ll provide them with a grander stage, where they can truly shine.”

“Give them back!” Midoriya shouted.

“‘Give them back’? What an odd thing to say,” He stopped tossing and catching the marble, “Don’t be so arrogant. They’re their own people, they belong to no one.”

“We’ll stop you!” Midoriya screamed.

“Right now!” Todoroki unleashed a path of ice, but the villain jumped so gracefully into the air.

“Why the aggression? We just want to show them all the options that they could have besides the fanatical world of heroism.” He landed in the trees, “It’s important to choose a path that aliens with your core values.The Nightmare King, for example, surely would want to take him in, with Radiance.”   


Todoroki felt… offended. He wasn’t religious by any means, but the villain’s words offended him. Grimm would not align with Radiance, they only wanted to put on a show, and safely too! Knowing the Bug the villain was referring to angered him, how dare he, how DARE he!

“If you’re monologuing because you think you’ve beaten us, you’re mistaken!” He spat out at the villain.

“A bad habit of mine, my apologies,” The villain bowed, “I was once an entertainer, you know. Although taking Tokoyami was a bit of improv on my part.” He moved his hands, showing three, distinct blue marbles, each with the faded face of their friends, “Moonfish, our dear blade tooth. He may not look it, but he’s a dastardly devil on death row that got his last appeal denied. When I saw the avian take him down so easily and violently, I decided he should join the Troupe.”   


Again, Todoroki felt offended. As if someone else was looking through his eyes, pumping anger into him. As if this guy was in good need of being  _ smited _ .

“You bastard, you can’t take them!” Midoriya screamed, and Todoroki ran, letting out another huge wall of ice.

“Apologies,” The villain was in the air again, “Escapology and magic are my specialties, not combat. I’m not foolish enough to fight candidates from UA.” He put his hands to his head, “Vanguard Action Squad. I’ve acquired our targets. Our little show has officially come to a close. Meet me at the retrieval point in the next five minutes for the final bow.”

He was already disappearing past the trees, to a point none could see.

“They’re going to take them,” Todoroki’s voice had a thin line of anger in it, “Our friends.”   


“They can’t!” Midoriya cried.

Everyone ran after the villain, or tried. They quickly lost him to the woods, no longer being able to see.

“Wait, aren’t one of you idiots literally blessed by a God?!” Tsuburaba exclaimed, “You, Todoroki, right? Don’t you have the literal God of Nightmares and Theatre on hand? Why can’t you pray to him, pray for him to deliver us over there?”

“Grimm isn’t… I don’t think it works that way.” Todoroki exclaimed.

“Does it even hurt to try?” Shinso asked, “We don’t even know which direction he’s headed to anymore. The Nightmare King is a literal Higher Being, and he’s as real as Hornet. Maybe he’ll see us in this nightmare and help us out.”

“You have to try Shoto!” Midoriya turned to him, a look of desperation in his eyes, “As Grimmchild has said many times, you’re their blessed!”

“OK, OK,” Todoroki took a deep breath. He’d never prayed to any deity, or really looked up. But Grimm had answered his silent wishes, to be taken away from his father safely, to change his flames to something else. 

Dropping to his knees, closing his eyes and folding his hands, Todoroki lit up his left side, and recited a prayer he made up on the spot. Out loud, hoping, wondering, if his classmates would even be right about this, he said aloud

_ My lord, of scarlet Troupe and fiery Nightmare _

_ Through my own flames I ask you to heed my call _

_ Those villains have captured my friends in their snare _

_ Please help us so we stop my enemies and free them all! _

“Shoto Todoroki,” A laugh, wicked and deep, bloomed from in front of him as he felt his own fire surround them all, “Open your eyes, my son.”

He did, and the Nightmare King, in His full, scarlet glory, stood before him. Everyone gasped in surprise that it  _ worked _ . A God, a Higher Being, stood before them, and He looked pissed.

“You seek to stop the blasphemy of my name, seek to free your friends from heathens, and stop such a terrible show.” The Nightmare King stated simply, and Todoroki nodded furiously.

The Nightmare King smirked at him, “ His villainous name is Mr. Compress, and he has dishonored me in every way. All I ask is one thing: Allow me kick the villain who kidnapped your friends in the face. I cannot stay for long, but that's the least I can do without terrible consequences for you."   


“Oh course sir, of course!” Todoroki said, “Please, please, we need to save them!”

“Then I will take you there,” The Nightmare King snapped his fingers, and in a scarlet circle, beautiful, friendly, loving flames consumed them all.

* * *

“Heey Dobi didn’t you hear the radio?” Twice pumped up his fists, “I’m so pumped up! Our boy Compress totally got the job done!” He changed his voice to a deep, almost narrative tone, “The man certainly took his time. I was starting to get bored.”   


“Don’t be a pain,” Dobi said, voice tired, “He did a good job. Now we just have to wait for everyone to regroup here.”   


“You’re the pain!” 

As the villains continued to chat, a french student from Class 1-B hid in the bushes, listening, hand over his mouth. He had only one gas mask, as the other two next to him lay there, already dead from poison. He’d put gas masks on them, yes, but he’d checked their pulses several times, and there was none. 

The gas had been long gone. From the sounds of those villains talking, everyone else was fighting. But here he was, cowardly, hiding. Maybe...he should too?   
He looked over the bushes, and straight into the eyes of the franken-stein, stitched up looking villain.

Instantly he hid again, fear and panic. He was seen, he was seen! 

Footsteps, walking closer to him. 

“Hey Dobi!” The footsteps stopped, and turned, “Speakin of which, totes not important but, shouldn’t you be calling back that Nomu? And the Broken Vessel! It’s probably infected loads of students too! Didn’t the boss say it would only react to your voice? That sounded vital.”

“That’s right,” The villain’s steps didn’t stop, “You’re the one who wanted me to let them loose on some kids.”

The steps were getting closer. His eyes grew wide, panicking.

“No problem, bow before me!” 

A wet, loud,  **_SHUNK_ ** .

Dobi looked down at the hiding student, now with a knife in his skull. He watched his eyes roll back as the boy fell to the side, dead. He quickly made sure the other two next to him were equally dead by knifing their brains. No witnesses. 

“Both have probably killed someone by now,” Dobi said, putting a hand to his ear. 

* * *

“Shit fuck shit fucking shit,” Yosetsu Awase ran with a passed out Yaoyorozu, running from the green monster with various chainsaws attached to it. “What the fucking shit is this thing even doing here?!” He glanced briefly at the Yaoyorozu, “Yaoyorozu are you still alive? You need to wake up or it's going to catch us!”

She seemed to stir, blood all over her face. “I’m...sorry… Awase,” She said weakly, “I’m...I’m alive, but.”

Awase tripped and fell, tumbling with Yaoyorozu. The creature’s chainsaws turned into drills.

Fuck, fuck, it was going to gore them like it gored his classmates. The creature lunged at him, and he threw himself on top of her, closing his eyes.

Mere centimeters from his face, so close he could hear the powering down of the drills. He opened his eyes, breathing heavily. Awase had actually shit himself in pure fear, and was glad Yaoyorozu was a bit out of it as the smell of his own defecation hit him.

He rolled off Yaoyorozu as the creature trembled, let out a sad groan, and began to walk away.

“Fuck, fuck,” Awase breathed, looking at it, “It’s just…. Going to leave us here?”

Yaoyorozu sat up, and her hand glowed. She was making something, a look of pure determination in her eyes.

“Awase…” Yaoyorozu breathed, handing him the object, “Use your Quirk to attach this to the monster. Quick! Before it gets away.”

Awase took it without question. He ran to the retreating thing and slammed the button-like thing into it, making it sink under the monster’s skin and disappearing. There. Nothing would be able to separate the objects now. 

He ran back to her. 

“Yaoyorozu,” Awase took off his shirt and began basic first aid on what he now noticed was her missing digits, “You’re hurt. It’s over for now. Let me take care of you.”

She let out a sob, making little tourniquets so he could use them, and leaned into him. 

* * *

“It’s strange. I expected to see crazy here,” Dobi looked around.

“She’ll be alright!” Twice said happily, “Portal-face will probably find and bring her back! Like he is for Lizard-boi and my girl big sis Mag!”

Dobi looked mildly annoyed at Twice, “You’re right on that. No man left behind after all.”

“Shut it Twice, you’re too loud.”

He looked up. Mr. Compress was there, and he was going to make a graceful landing, as always. 

Dobi’s eyes widened as scarlet flames appeared above him, then kicked him down. Dobi was thrown back, and when he looked up, Mr. Compress was under the heels of the Nightmare King Himself. And he looked pissed.

“You dishonor me, Mr. Compress!” The Higher Being hissed, “May this smiting make you learn a lesson.”    
The Nightmare King stepped off of him, looking at Twice and Dobi. A wide, demonic grin appeared on his face, and he snapped his fingers. Four students appeared.

“Take them down, younglings. And may you haunt their nightmares,” He laughed, a reality-distorting, eye-grating, terrible laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course, with Todoroki being Nightmare King Grimm's chosen one, praying will get immediate results XD  
> And of course, he can only do so much. Grimm may be a Higher Being, but he's not all-powerful. Powerful but not *all* powerful. It's why they're called Higher Beings by bugs, not Gods (although some do call them Gods)  
> Next time: More death. Total kill count: 5  
> Nice  
> More deaths by Chainsaw Nomu over there, and probably via poison as well. Ooops for poor Class 1-B  
> Internet went down on Friday so I'd have posted this sooner if not for that. But glad I can now! XD  
> Leave a comment on what you thought :D Thank you for reading <3


	42. Taken by the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kirishima and the others at base want to fight, but Mr. Aizawa forbids them. Meanwhile, the boys fight for their friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: More trama! Not as much gore, but blood's there.

While the battle of the woods went on, Eijiro Kirishima was having his own internal war immediately following Mandalay’s message.

“Come on, you heard what she said, didn’t you?” He cried, a hand as a fist, as if ready to punch, “I can’t let them get my friend! You gotta let me go find him, please!”

Vlad King looked down at the boy, and the new students who had joined them, “Not a chance.”

“But why not?!” Kirishima asked furiously.

“Come on, cool it Kirishima.” Mina, who had rejoined the others at the camp, said, putting a hand on his shoulder. 

“We don’t know how many villains there are,” Uraraka said, raising her hand as if asking for a turn to speak, “Shouldn’t we have as many fighters as possible?”

“Ribbit, you can’t seriously be wanting to face those villains,” Sue said, finger on chin thoughtfully.

“Uraraka gets it!” Kirishima said, “Even Mr. Aizawa said to fight!”

“Only for self-defense,” Mr. King said calmly, “He meant the students still in the woods.”

Kirishima growled in frustration, beginning to pace. He needed to help, somehow, he had to help!

The door creaked open. Kirishima, thinking it was Mr. Aizawa, walked towards it when Mr. King put up an arm.

“No, wait,” He said, watching it carefully.

An unfamiliar figure appeared, and he shoved Kirishima out of the way, “Move!”

The door burst into flames, and the students jumped back. Mr. King took the blunt force of the attack, and shielded himself in front of all the kids, turning to face whoever went through the door.

“Ribbit!” Sue exclaimed, “That’s the guy who turned into goo earlier.”

The villain started another attack, blue flames at the ready when Mr. King slammed him into the wall.

“You’re too slow!” He yelled, blooding coming out of his hands and covering the villain, gluing him to the wall, “You dare walk into my classroom without so much as a plan? You underestimate us!”

“Are you sure about that?” The glued villain smiled.

“Hm?”

“You’re acting exactly like I expected.” He smiled, patchwork face and stitches almost splitting, eyes suddenly taking on an orange, infected glow, “You’ve already been defeated regardless of what happens to me. The two most trusted pillars of our super powered society are linked together. UA, the pinnacle of hero education, and All Might, the Symbol of Peace.”

Mr. King’s eyes widened in realization and what the villain was getting at.

“But embarrassing incidents have damaged the world’s trust in you both,” A otherworldly, light voice came from his mouth, the voice of another, of Old Light and Infection, “Sloppy management keeps allowing villains to slip in and attack, and even has caused the deaths of a few students. People are so shaken that they’ve nearly lost all faith in you.” His eyes widened, crazy, voice with an almost giddy high, “Imagine how they’ll react when not only did you let a couple of kids die once again, but that you’ve let a few get kidnapped.”

“You shut up! That’s not going to happen!” Kirishima yelled at him, arms becoming rock-hard.

“Not our classmate!” Uraraka agreed.

Not while we’re here!” Kaminari’s hand cracked with electricity. 

“Don’t be naive,” His voice went back to normal as he lit himself up in blue flames, “It only took a handful of us to separate you from the pros and start picking you off.”

“That’s enough!” Mr. King was about to through a punch through the villain’s smirking face when Mr. Aizawa’s boot appeared and kicked him off the wall.

“It’s no use Vlad,” He said.

“Mr. Aizawa!” The others cheered happily. 

“This guy’s just trying to provoke you,” Mr. Aizawa continued, wrapping him in his scarf and curb stomping his face, “He won’t talk.”

“Uh, Mr. Aizawa, I think you got him!” Kaminari said in worry.

The villain melted under Mr. Aizawa’s feet as he landed the final kick. “Look at him,” He spat, “Another fake. I fought one before.”

“Eraser, what’s it like out there?” Mr. King asked his colleague. 

“Hard to say. I left to direct our defense but I ended up taking care of Kota,” He glanced at the boy who stood at the doorway, looking at the entire scene with wide eyes. “Look after him while I go back to the front line. I’m counting on you to keep defending this place.”

“Is that wise?” Mr. King stopped him as Mr. Aizawa turned to leave again, “We hardly know anything about them.”

“You’ll be fine by yourself. I think their strategy is to keep sending out copies to disguise the fact that there’s so few of them out there.”

"If there aren’t that many we should be fighting too!” Kirishima said, running to his teacher, “We have to help our friends.”

“You need strength in numbers!” Uraraka agreed.

“Yeah, we could help!” Kaminari insisted.

“Absolutely not,” Mr. Aizawa said, “You will stay here with Vlad. They’re not here for us, they’re after the students.”

Kirishima would not back down from this, “But we-”

“ _I will not lose another child!_ ” Mr. Aizawa barked, voice raw, “This is the safest place you all can be, with Vlad. We know about Bakugo, but they could be targeting others as well. We’re still sorely lacking information. The only way we win this is by making sure the rest of you are safe.”

His students had never seen him like this. Actually worked up. There were two sides of Mr. Aizawa, tired Aizawa, or crazy Aizawa. This was the first time they’d seen him break those two molds. And he looked like he was going to personally hunt down and kill all the villains himself.

* * *

“Give us back our friends!” Midoriya screamed as he and Todoroki tackled Mr. Compress.

“ _Give them back, give them back_ ,” Shinso sang, trying to compel the villain.

“Outta the way, Compress,” The frankenstein, patchwork villain said, blue flames lighting up.

“Got it,” The villain, Compress, said, glowing.

Flames forced them all off. While Todoroki was immune to them, he heard the others scream in surprise and pain at the hottest part of them. Tsuburaba landed right next to him, writhing in pain from the burns.

Some villain in a mostly black costume and a grey hood jumped at them. He moved so fast and so quickly that Todoroki was startled when the boy from 1-B dropped to the ground, already bleeding, then the head rolled off.

He didn't have time to think, didn't have time to process, the kid he spent so hard saving-

There is an ice wall between him and the villain now, but the villain is cracking jokes, jumping over. Where the hell was the Nightmare King?! 

Immediately his thoughts were answered as a red spike burst from the ground, impaling the villain. The villain screamed in surprise as he was cooked alive, before dropping to the ground. Todoroki blinked, not expecting the Nightmare King to kill him like that.

Compress suddenly appeared again from the ball he had become, looking quite flustered that the Nightmare King Himself had appeared. Compress didn’t appear to care, however, walking towards that patchwork-like man.

“You’ve got them?” The stitched-together man asked.

“Of course,” He reached into his pocket deliberately, then looked down, as if he lost them.

“I don’t know what your Quirk is, but it has something to do with these, right?” Todoroki asked, holding up three little marbles.

“Well color me impressed,” Compress laughed, “I’d have never expected that from someone like you.”

“Nightmare King!” Todoroki shouted, “We have them!”

The stitched up villain held up an arm, but Compress stopped him.

“Those are not your friends!” The Nightmare King hissed at him as dark blue portals appeared.

“Of course, the God of Theatre would notice,” Compress moved aside his mask, revealing the true marbles that were their friends, in his mouth. The ones that Todoroki had taken undid themselves, revealing to be his own ice.

A single, terrible fiery spike went through Compress’s skull in that moment. The marbles flew from his mouth, morphing, changing back into their original forms as Compress slumped over, very much dead. Tokoyami tumbled the furthest away from them.

Time slowed down. Izuku raced so fast, watching Holly and Kacchan turn back into their forms, but were grabbed by the necks by the frankenstein-like villain. He screamed, only feet away now as the portal enveloped them. Shinso is singing encouragement, making him even faster. Another second, and Holly had reached out a hand. Their fingertips brushed before Holly and Kacchan disappears into nothingness.

In surprise he tripped over himself, a second too late. He felt his head hit a rock, another head injury now as he somersaulted on the ground. 

"NOOOOO, NO NOOOOOOOO!" he screeched in utter agony, turning to the Nightmare King, "TAKE US THERE, TAKE US TO WHERE THEY TOOK THEM!"

But the Nightmare King merely gazed down at him sadly, "I cannot assist you any longer, younglings."

"YOU'RE A GOD!"

The fire spoke, "I am Higher Being, and I can no longer keep myself tethered, now that at least one is saved."

"You have to take us there," Shoto shouted now, desperately, “I asked you to help them all, my lord!”

"My sincerest, deepest apologies, my blessed. I could only do so much. We cannot win them all." 

The fire was gone.

" ** _COME BACK_ **!" Izuku screamed at the top of his lungs, collapsing onto the ground. His vision swirled. This can't be happening.

"Midoriya!" Shoto seemed to want to direct his attention to something else as Izuku became suddenly very away from the head wound nor he and Holly noticed in the moment. Adrenaline dying, he let out one last screech of despair and passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize I really didn't give Tsuburaba anything to do so... I diagnose you with dead. Just another body on the kill count folks. Give poor Todoroki some PTSD, maybe? Survivor's guilt probably, since he spent SO MUCH TIME and was SO CLOSE to saving him... but in the end, he dead.  
> But ya know, Nightmare King Grimm got a few kills in the count as well. Good timing I guess, Grimm?? You could've worked faster to the punch. But you are a Higher Being, and not one really equipped for battles, o o p s. I guess this is why the Troupe is much more theatrical than battle-hardened.
> 
> Poor fucking Deku, two of his closest friends are kidnapped. He's not as injured as he was in canon but he's got 2 blows to the head and probably has a little concussion. More like a big one lol. Won't be waking up for a while. And, of course, the rest of the squad will be angsting pretty hard over this. Next arc is going to be one filled with both juicy angst and plotting to save the stolen, as well as how brutal the League of Villains are to those they grab.  
> Leave a comment if you liked, thank you so much for reading <3


	43. The Mind Electric

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being held hostage is one thing, being mindfucked is another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Bad drug trips, and some implied rape by zombies in there for good measure. You've been warned.

There’s nothing worse than being kidnapped by a bunch of villains after discussing that a bunch of extras are most likely dead.

Katsuki was just walking in the woods, feeling a mixture of annoyance and anger that everyone saw him as too weak to be able to make it back to base without an entire squad escorting him there. Next thing he knew, he felt like he was curled up in a ball and being held. He didn’t know how this happened, and was confused, as well as dizzy, when a screech made him tremble slightly. It was like he was frozen in this state, and he strained his ears to understand. But everything was muffled.

Next thing Katsuki knows is that he’s tumbling through the air, and Deku is screaming at him and Holly. Before he can even regain his fucking senses to know what the hell is happening, someone drags him by the neck, and he’s too damn dizzy to even think straight before a portal of darkness wraps him up.

After that shitstain of a fest he’s knocked out.

Now he’s in this empty room, gagged and bound, in some sort of light blue hospital gown staring at his ex. partner but certified badass bestie. 

Yeah, fuck, everything sucks right now.

He tried to struggle, hoping maybe he could break away. But the villains were smart about this. They wrapped his hands in some sort of cuffed metal, so his explosions would only hurt him if he tried too much, and under that they were zip-tied together. He sat up, blinking his eyes. How long had it been? He tried to get a count on time, but the room was empty, and doorless, save for Holly, who was equally hogtied and gagged. They came too, and the pair looked at each other.

Holly laid and rolled over to him, which must have been uncomfortable as hell, but they didn’t seem to care. Finally they schooched close enough to him, and they stared at each other.

Even though they recently broke it off, Katsuki couldn’t help but find their eyes mesmerizing. That deep, bright orange, but now he noticed there seemed to be a bit more dark than he remembered. Weird, but it could’ve also been the lighting.

He tried to come up with some sort of plan, their calming presence helping him think. There weren’t any doors, and they were probably being watched. Holly still seemed to be struggling through their bindings.

The wall itself opened. Two women, a blonde chick and a rather manly looking chick came, untying their legs before forcing them to their feet.

“Ready for some fun, Kacchan,” The blonde said flirtatiously, “I heard your friend Deku called you that, can’t I?”

Katsuki headbutted her nose, hard.

She let out a horrid squeal and hissed. The other one laughed. 

“He broke my nose!” The blonde cried, turning to Holly, “Sweetie, cutiepie, I heard you can heal people. Can’t you fix it?”

Katsuki looked at Holly, hoping she would take this opportunity. 

Holly looked down at the rest of their restraints. Then tapped their gagged mouth on the nose of the blonde, then on their hands. 

“I think she needs to be unrestrained to heal you,” The other woman said as they were led up a flight of stairs.

At this, Holly nodded.

“You’ll have to deal with it Toga, that one doesn’t hesitate to kill. Radiance said it killed two of our men.”

Quite frankly, that didn’t surprise Katsuki. Holly killed that Nomu without hesitation, and everyone there collectively moved that into the box of ‘let’s never speak of this.’ Ruthless, but it was technically in self-defense, since the Nomu gave All Might a ticket to Recovery Girl’s infirmary. 

Still, another two? He wondered what kind of shit happened to make them call that. They were still supposed to be heroes.

They reached the top and were led into what looked like a bar. Very classy, red walls and soft lighting. The portal guy seemed to be the bartender for the League as he and Holly were led into seats. Katsuki wasn’t struggling anymore, taking in the scene, and good places to escape. There were two other doors, a TV on the wall, and some booths. Another villain, who had the appearance of a lizard, and that hand guy, as well as a patched-up, Frankenstein-like villain relaxing in one of the booths. 

Maybe Holly could teleport them both out. To his knowledge they’d been able to master teleporting singularly, but not yet with another. Still, if they get out, it's better for them both. 

That blonde put a knife to his neck, forcing him into a seat and strapping him down. The same thing happened to Holly with the other one.

Katsuki recognized the many-handed villain. His villain costume was more laughable to him, with so many weird plastic hands all over him. Today, only his shoulders and face had fake hands on them.

Their gags were taken off.

“Kacchan, are you OK?” Holly asked him immediately.

“Peachy, you?” He replied gruffly, glaring at the villains. 

“Amazing,” They replied dryly.

“How sweet,” The hand villain noted, “I’m sure you both want to know why we’ve taken you.”  
Katsuki could feel Holly begin to drip their intimidation out, as his skin began to inexplicably crawl from her direction. He decided for now, silence.

“Cutie pit, I’ll cut you if you keep that up,” The blonde cooed, walking to Holly and putting the knife to their neck.

The intimidation stopped.

“Well, with how violent and murder-y you two appear to be, we want you to join us, the League of Villains, and align yourselves with Radiance.”

Katsuki snorted, but very seriously said, “Fuck no. Go throw yourselves into traffic.”

“No,” Holly said.

The villain sighed, as if he really didn’t want to do something.

“Fine. Get the cameras out. Some use will be of these hostages, since if we torture them long enough, and publish them online making demands for Hornet to give up the locations of the Dreamers, we can at least fee you, Mother. How’s that for planning, Father?”

The blonde giggled, but the patchworked one rolled his eyes, taking out a camera, and some needles filled with dark liquid.

“What the fuck?!” Katsuki exclaimed as the guy handed the blonde the camera, walking to them with the needles, “Get the FUCK away from me!”

“Relax kid, it’s just drugs.”

Katsuki tried to literally bite him, moving, when the masculine woman held back his head.

“Stop, fuck you, I’ll kick your asses!” he shouted, screaming.

“Stop it, don’t do this!” Holly shouted at them, raising their voice.

The needle was jabbed into Katsuki, who let out a guttural scream, not in pain but more anger as he felt the thick liquid of drugs course into him.

“Your turn, girlie.” The patchwork villain said.

“I will kill you all,” Holly’s voice was calm, but deadly, “If you’re recording this for Hornet to see, Hornet, don't you dare give up what they want.”

Holly didn’t fight, but instead dropped out the intimidation as the needle was jabbed into her arms.

Katsuki’s world began to melt as he felt a rush through his body, pleasant, but never as pleasant as when Holly would kiss his wounds in their mock battles at school. That comparison made him revolt at the false sensation, the knowledge that this is a drug.

He recoiled further, suddenly no longer in the bar, but in a bright, cloudy sky. There were platforms, and the sun itself stared down at him. Limitless light, as death was a minute decimal. This was the sun's kingdom, the true ruler, an Old Light. This was probably the fucking bug they all called a higher being, Radiance. That old fuckface from so long ago that got itself locked up tight within the Hollow Knight, now here in all Her glory. 

It pissed him the fuck off.

Katsuki began screaming at it, cursing, yelling, when a monster near him began to chant. He turned his head and felt himself piss all over himself as a dark, demonic like entity stared at him. It had millions of eyes yet only a pair of eyes, a thousand arms but no arms. Tentacles sprouted from its back yet it had none at all. This was a boy, this was a girl, this wyrm had no gender at all. Born of God and Void, of Root and New Light, containing Nothing, but it had everything. But it was Nothing. Truly an empty shell, but it was filled. 

Scattering sparks of Katsuki’s thought energy surrounded him as he began to screech again, screaming. There were no words, he had a mouth but now he could not scream. He was falling inside a hole he couldn’t see. 

The sun began to order that he cower and pray, but Katsuki began to yell nothing at it. His mouth wasn’t working quite right, so he raved, stumbling over his words, but made no mistake he was cursing. Giving it all he had, calling bread more useful and less lazy, for bread would mold. Telling the sun all it did was sit there and watch like an idiot, stupid, cursing, snot-nosed power hungry and stupid! He was not afraid! He would not bow to the Radiance, he would not break! Fuck off!

The monster was cursing as well, but they had a common enemy. The Sun itself laughed at them, but the monster began chanting.

_Tell me where I came from, but what I will always be_

_Just a spoiled little kid who went to herorics school_

_While the rest roam safe and free_

_I’m in a bar, satanic and chain’d up_

Radiance became silent. Silence in the cloudless world as Katsuki continued to fall, restrained by spaghetti. Don't be upsetti, have some spaghetti. Oh god, he laughed at that, hard, remembering how Holly once brought him that after a shit fest of a day in middle school. He could no longer remember it, but this single voice reminded him of her.

A million voices began to chant, distorting. Katsuki was confused at the noise, but silenced himself, listening with bated breath. 

**_When we are dead we will join their ranks_ **

**_And until the end, that's how shall be_ **

**_From the Void we come from, and it we return_ **

**_We want nothing of this petty war you rage_ **

**_We care not for the Radiance, or that of the Pale King!_ **

A single voice sang again. Was that Holly?! Where was she? Katsuki looked and looked, but the only thing that remained constant in this world was the Endlessness itself, as it cursed and sang to the only one still here.

_I don't know if I count_

_But I'm trying my best_

_A Vessel of no remembrance_

_There are no ideas in this head_

_Truly I am Nothing._

It became hostile, lunging not at him but towards now what appeared to be grisly, bloody fields with neatly arrayed corpses of all his classmates. Katsuki knew this wasn’t real, but he gasped in horror anyways, forcibly restrained by snakes now. Nuns commence the incanting as the lightning struck his temples. Electrifying his chambers wholly as he spiraled down this majesty. 

**_We want nothing to do with you_ **

**_We want you to die_ **

**_For forcing that bastard to rip us apart_ **

**_And kidnapping us both_ **

**_You make us howl and bark out these songs_ **

**_To play your human-bug games_ **

**_Nay! We will do it our way_ **

**_Reunite, then crawl back into our pit_ **

**_And sleep_ ** **_away_ ** **_eternity_ **

Pianos began to play, orchestrating the horror. Katsuki could feel his brain throbbing, bursting as blood gushed down his skull. But it was no longer his blood, it was black ooze. His veins all turned black, growing disgusting cists that would burst painfully. The snakes crawled all over him, licking it all up, but their tongue's felt like cat tongues.

His mouth came back into existence. Katsuki began screaming as his classmates, now zombies, started to approach him. Rotted, parts falling off freely, their eyes a deep infected orange and yellow. They passed him, touching him, hands all over him. Dead, flaky skin forcing itself on him, kissing and touching him. He begged them to stop, but they kept going against his will, and Katsuki’s own body reacted by the stimulation alone, against his will. He hated this feeling, hated that for a moment, it felt good, hated them for making him feel this way, for forcing an involuntary moment of joy once again. Their faces rotted away, melting…

He kept screaming until he had no voice.

He kept struggling until he had no energy.

And still the world revolved, reality dripping, scattering about.

The only solace he had was the nothing, always to the left of him, always watching. He would gaze into it until something forced his eyes away. The Darkness stared back. He couldn’t tell if it had pity, or sympathy. 

But indeed It was calming if he looked at It right.

* * *

Katsuki was in that room again. The one he first was locked up in. The first thing that hit him was the smell. Oh god, he smelled like piss, shit and other unpleasant things. 

The next thing he could understand was that Holly was across from him. She was much dirtier than before their drug trip. 

Katsuki blinked, exhausted. His sight began to get blurry when one of the villains came down and forced water down his throat. He drank it, but he didn’t like it. It tasted fine. 

“Fuck you all,” was his last words before he passed out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very unsure about the zombie scene. Katsuki will never be able to tell if any of that was in his head, or if some of it was real. For him, that *was* reality. If the League did that, or if his mind conjured it up.  
> But yeah, things not looking good for him.  
> I'm throwing back on the rape/non-con tags! Since this is implied.  
> Next chapter: we check in with the media and the rest of the class.  
> Leave a comment on what you thought <3 Thanks for reading!


	44. From Yesterday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inko Midoriya has a little heart-to-heart with Hornet as the staff of UA discuss what happens next.

**The Next Day**

Hornet was filling out paperwork, still very much annoyed at the news. She was worried, of course, more worried about Bakugo than anything. She'd seen the video. Watched the entire, wretched clips, as it was sent to her specifically, with demands. They drugged them both up, and tortured them physically too, although the tiny Vessel seemed to be doing slightly better than the boy.

Of course now she was going to rescue them, and contacted the authorities. 

There was no rest for heroes, after all. Just finish this paperwork on this last bust from a pocket of old gang members and-

"Inko Midoriya wishes to see you today, Miss. Hornet," the phone on her desk buzzed.

Hornet sighed, "Let her in."

She finished signing more papers and put on the electric kettle as Inko walked in.

"Greetings," Hornet said, "It's been a while, hasn't it Inko? Was there something in particular you needed? How's Izuku?"

"Hey Hornet," the middle aged human smiled. Hornet could tell they were holding back tears, "I heard what happened to Holly and-"

"The police are keeping me up-to-date, and I will be part of the party to help rescue them," Hornet said quickly as Inko began sobbing quietly.

Hornet walked towards the human and let her to the couches to sit.

"Izuku, my-my-my baby, he's in the hospital. They put him in a-a-a drug comaaa," she cried, "He should be waking up tomorrow. He had h-head injuries and-and-"

Hornet shushed her, "How about some tea? Or maybe coca? I have the kettle going. He's safe, and fine."

"How are y-you handling t-this?" Inko sputtered, "your baby was k-kidnapped a-and being t-tortured!"

Hornet glanced back at her, bringing out two teacups and preparing it.

"Truthfully, I'm very worried. My little Ghost is strong, and we're moving in as soon as we find their locations."

"You can-n-n talk to me Hornet, we're m-mom fri-friends," Inko said, wiping her eyes.

Hornet smiled at Inko kindly, “I’m glad Izuku is safe, at least. I’ll get those other two back.”

She cried more.

“Drink, it will calm you.”

The human took a shaky sip of the tea. Hornet couldn't help but notice how many traits her son had taken from her, the kind nature, the crying, and the hair. It was a new experience, watching a pair of little human boys grow up, grow apart, then back together again. Now she would be hunting the other one, and the Vessel. And bring the little trio back together again.

“I will get them back,” Hornet said more firmly, “They cannot escape a spider’s web so easily.”

“I’m not sure I have faith in UA anymore,” Inko said into her tea, sounding very tired.

“I understand,” Hornet said, “Although, if you pull out your son, I know my Ghost may not want to continue hero work.”

“Really?”

Hornet thought for a moment. Anything alive has thoughts, has feelings. This was going to always fail, unless Radiance was killed directly. It’s why she always urged the little Vessel for the harder choice. Because Hornet didn’t want to deal with this again in another 20 years, a blink of an eye for her.

“Really,” Hornet sighed, “They seem to have taken quite a liking to your boy. Those two are nigh inseparable. Where he goes, they shall insist on following.”

Inko laughed, looking pensive as she clutched her tea. “I’m going to have to start talking to him about other options then, after you rescue them. I just…. All Might is there too, and unless All Might will be with all the field trips, I’m not sure I feel safe with him there. This is the second time he’s been put in harm’s way. I didn’t count when he was at your internship Hornet, he wasn’t hurt at all and… Then, then the mall! My baby Izuku was targeted by them at the mall! It’s just, it’s just,” her fingers were white from clutching the cup, “The brutality of hero work...I’m not sure my heart can take it.”

“I understand,” Hornet nodded, taking a small sip of tea, “You’re a good mother, Inko Midoriya.”

Inko smiled, and let out a nervous laugh, looking at the pro hero she’d known for so many years with gratitude. 

* * *

Reporters swarm the gates of UA, which are closed tightly shut. They screamed questions, demanding answers.

“We hear your silence!”

“When can we hear an explicit statement from UA’s administration?”

“Has anyone been in contact with the families of the deceased?”

“You endangered them all, let them die like animals!”

But they are only gates. It’s still summer vacation, and the hallways of UA are empty. The only sounds are the Kingsmoulds walking up and down, timed steps all in sync. 

In the meeting room, Principle Nezu sat at the head of the table.

“That training camp was meant to prepare students to handle villain attacks,” He said calmly, “The irony is shameful. We knew the League would resurface, but we lacked a fundamental understanding of their plans. They aim not only to bring back Radiance but completely destroy hero society.”

The other teachers there, Midnight, All Might, Present Mic and Snipe all sat there with him as their boss spoke.

“Even if we had understood, could we really have stopped this attack?” Midnight asked, putting her hands together pensively, “They’re moving pieces we didn’t even know they had.”

"A lot of kids died this time," Snipe said sadly, "I'm surprised we're not shut down as a school."

"Not to mention the video the League posted with their demands," Present Mic shuddered, "I couldn't watch the entire thing! It was too horrible, and I've seen some things!"

All Might sulked in his seat, thumbs pressed into his forehead. "My students were fighting for their lives, and I was having a nice soak in the bath.”

“They’ve taken our students' lives, taken Bakugo and Holly, and society’s faith in heroes. Especially with that video with demands,” Snipe said.

"Ah yes, the video," Nezu held up a newspaper, as well as a screenshot of the two missing students, a freeze frame of them being drugged and tortured, "UA is currently being condemned for so many deaths of first years as well as this. I dare say if they manage to brainwash those two, it would be the end of our school. The only reason it still stands and the Bugs haven't reclaimed it is out of respect to their still missing King, and Hornet."

"Hornet's natural avoidance of all human media is a godsend." All Might breathed in relief.

"Well, considering she is the number one hero for Bugkind and number eleven for the human charts says quite a bit," Nezu said, "However, she did make a statement that she is very worried, and not much else. Although the media is heavily criticizing UA for letting not just one, but two children being kidnapped, and one of them being hers to boot."

All Might hasn't even had the chance to talk to Hornet. He went to UA straight away this morning after the news was broken to him last night. Hornet had been away on a mission and hadn't answered his calls, and was bombed by the media this morning as she went to her agency. It's probably how they got the singular comment, the little gasp and that she was worried.

What a fucking way to be broken the news, he thought to himself, as everyone started talking about a possible traitor, but Snipe and Nezu quickly dispelled it, not wanting everyone to be torn from the inside out.

"This is a good time to at least impliment something I've always wanted to add," Nezu said, "Dormitories." 

All Might’s phone rang.

"I'm sorry, I need to take this," All Might said, standing up and showing the phone, continuing to ring with his own voice.

The other teachers were annoyed at him for needing to step outside. 

He sighed, closing the door and looking at the phone. What kind of Symbol of Peace was he if he couldn’t protect his students? His hands were clenched into fists as his thoughts whirled.

“Sorry. What is it Tsukauchi?” He answered.

“We’ve finally taken comprehensive statements from King and Aizawa,” The detective's voice filled out on the other side, “And I think we’ve found something. It’s possible that we have a lead on where the League of Villains are hiding.”

All Might gasped in shock, voice full of hope. “Really? Are you serious?!”

“Yep. About two weeks ago I sent an officer around to gather information. A bystander pointed out that he’d seen a man with a patchwork face enter a building that was supposed to be vacant. The man looked to be in his 20s, but we didn’t find any plausible matches when we checked our criminal records. We spoke with the owner of the building, though, and found that there’s a hidden bar in there.”

All Might’s eyes widened, “Similar to the one in the video?”

“Yep! And the man matched the description of the patchwork villain that attacked the students. Given the profile of this crime, we’ll move out as soon as we get the green light. This is top secret. I’m only telling you because it’s you. We’ll be asking the cooperation of many other heroes to help with this rescue and inevitable cleanup mission. All Might, we need your power.”

All Might because to smoke, muscles growing slowly as he expanded in size, and in determination.

“All Might, are you still there?” 

“Tsukauchi,” All Might said slowly, proudly, “You’re a wonderful friend. And I know just what I’ll say when I find them,” All Might completed his transformation into the Symbol of Peace, “‘I am here to make you pay for what you’ve done.’”

* * *

The reporters continue yelling at walls, demanding questions, but all there is is silence. Reports on the news, buzzing everywhere no matter where you went, on the news.

A massacre. 

Of the 38 students, 17 were murdered. Their causes of death were poison gas, burning to death, or bleeding out. Of those, 5 more were critically injured. The rest came out with little to no injuries at all physically. And 2 were missing. 

One of the pro heroes was in serious condition because of a blow to the head. One was missing, but it was apparent she’d lost a lot of blood.

Meanwhile, on the villain’s side, 5 had been killed in self-defense, and only 1 was caught and arrested. The others had disappeared without a trace. 

This continued on even onto the next day when Izuku finally opened his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A step back from Class 1-A, a slower burn now with this arc. Some more internal, as well as the obvious external drama.  
> Next chapter: The hospital, with what happens with the remains of Class 1-A as, obviously, some idiots plot to go and get all their friends back, especially with an explicit video of them being tortured online. More will be explored next chapter.
> 
> Leave a comment with your thoughts! Thanks for reading <3


	45. Taking Away Your Choice in the Matter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku wakes up to the worst news in his life. Kirishima and Todoroki have a plan to get them back. But Shinso has other ideas.

He stares up at the ceiling, eyes as wide as saucers. He'd bonked his head twice, and memories were slowly coming back to him, a little at a time.

"Kota," he said aloud to the ceiling, "Is he safe?"

He turned his head. There was a bowl of fruit there, and he recognized his mom's handwriting, urging him to call as soon as he could.

Still dazed, his eyes turned to new sounds. Someone was knocking on the door. It opened.

Denki popped his head in, a big smile on his face. "Hey! Midoriya's awake!"

More people from Class 1-A filed in, smiles wide and warm. Weird. Kacchan, he might be hurt, but where was Holly? She could self-heal, so she'd be here too.

"Hey guys," his voice was whispery and raw.

“Did you see the news? Reporters are all over the school!” Denki asked him, sounding as if he was trying to distract him from something.

“No, I just woke up,” He confessed, “I think a few minutes before you knocked.”

“It’s worse than last time,” Sato said.

“Well, we brought you a melon,” Uraraka said, holding a cantaloupe, “To help you feel better when you’re up for it.”

“I caused you trouble, Midoriya,” Fumikage said.

“No, please, me getting injured was my fault,” He said, trying to smile. He was trying to jog his memory, remember the rest of the night, “Did everyone from Class A come to visit?”

They looked… uncomfortable. 

“No, Shoji and Jiro died at the camp,” Hitoshi said, “They got butchered. And Yaoyorozu also got knocked in the head pretty badly. She’s hospitalized here and woke up yesterday. So it’s just us, although we obviously wish the entire class was here.”

“Where’s….” His question died on his lips.

“Only 13 of us now,” Uraraka said quietly.

“Because Bakugo and Hollow are gone,” Shoto said.

Mina slapped his arm as Grimmchlid neighed.

The class could see Izuku’s eyes clear up, going back to their normal state. Memory rushed back into his mind. 

He was a breath away, just a second too late. Tears poured down his eyes then, remembering how close he was…. He felt his fingertips brush Holly’s as they had reached out for him, and both of their dazed, disappearing forms.

"All Might once told me there’d always be people beyond our reach, people we can’t protect even though we want to,” His voice shook, then broke, “I-I was so close," Tears sprung from his eyes, "I was just right there… I wasn't fast enough," he sobbed, "The reason I h-have my Quirk is to save others… But I- but I couldn't save them. I wasn't fast enough. I had to save them, I _needed_ to save them.” He was crying freely now, voice shaking, “I was so, so close. I felt the tips of Holly’s fingertips. Just-just one more and I-I would’ve- I could’ve” He started to cry softly, gulping sobs as he tried to contain the tears. “I couldn’t save someone right in front of me. I was so close. They-they’d still be here if I was…”

The class looked at him solemnly. Some of them shedded one or two as well. He didn’t know. He didn’t know about… the videos. 

"Alright then, let's go get them," Eijiro said.

Izuku looked at him through the tears, confused.

Eijiro sighed. “I was here yesterday too. And so was Todoroki.”

* * *

Kirishima checked into the hospital, going to see if Midoriya was awake yet. He’d heard about what happened to him at the camp, facing a huge monster, and witnessing two of their friends get kidnapped.

He started to walk down the halls when he saw Grimmchild and Todoroki ahead of him. Todoroki turned, _and Kirishima was suddenly swamped by a gay panic_.

“Uh!” Oh god unexpected hot classmate, “Why are you at the hospital?” He asked quickly, trying to not look at Todoroki’s toned arms. He wasn’t _prepared_ to see such _hotness_.

“I could ask you the same,” Todoroki replied coolly, face an unreadable mask. Grimmchild floated behind him, the summon’s natural glow casting a handsome feel.

**_GAY PANIC._ **

He started to sweat nervously, “Well, I couldn’t just sit at home. So I figured I would come here.”

Todoroki looked at him for a second. Deep brown and blue, beautifully exotic and too manly. 

“Me too. I felt the same.”

They began to walk down the hallways towards Midoriya’s room, and Kirishima kept glancing at Todoroki. Toned arms out of those fancy, wonderfully hand-made clothes that Kirishima could see shifting. Muscles manly, hot, stronk. Muscles gay? Much gay.

“Is something wrong?" Todoroki asked.

"Muscles manly. Muscles hot. Muscles stronk. Muscles gay. I gay."

Todoroki looked at him, “Do you want me to cover up.” A statement more than a question.  
 ****

 **_INTENSE GAY PANIC._ **

“That’d be cool! I mean, it’d be hot. I mean you’re hot. WAIT I’M NOT INTO YOU JUST APPRECIATING THE MANLY.”

Kirishima was having a deep gay panic in the presence of someone he regarded super manly.

“Sorry I’m having a deep gay panic in the presence of someone I regard as super manly.”

Todoroki smirked at that as his Grimmchild let out a childish, happy laugh.

They passed by a room, and saw All Might and a police officer talking to Yaoyorozu. She didn’t look very good, as her head was wrapped up in bandages, and her head had been shaved a little. Both of them stopped, just out of sight, listening closely as to what was going on.

“With the assistance of Awase from Class B I attached a tracking device to one of the villains,” she told them. Kirishima could see that she was holding up a device, “This is the creation that will receive that signal. I hope it helps you in your search.”

Kirishima and Todoroki looked at each other. 

They’re going to use the tracking device to find Bakugo and Hollow, Kirishima realized.

His eyes widened, an idea already in his mind.

* * *

  
  


“So you’re going to have her make you a new device to go after them?” Shinso asked after Kirishima explained how he found out about the tracking device.

Kirishima looked down, ashamed at it. Todoroki looked at him definitely, coldly asking “So what if it does?”

Shinso slipped a mental hand into his head, seeing his mind. He ignored the thoughts and memories, and went straight to controlling the mind and body. For Todoroki specifically, there was a figure that always stopped him, blocking his access. He always had to convince it, but during their training it would throw him out. Todoroki thought he’d somehow become immune to Shinso’s voice, but Shinso didn’t know how to exactly verbalize it. A scarlet guard in charge of nightmares and flames, and it was this guard he would have to talk to. It was cloaked in shadow, save for its hot pink eyes, which burned a bright protection over the control of its host mind and body.

Shinso quickly told it mentally everything that had been going on at camp, everything they all went through, and how he didn’t want any more of his friends hurt. He told it of the videos, and if any of them were captured or caught, it could mean the deaths of their friends. They had to leave this to professionals with actual experience, they could, he couldn’t risk it. If he told someone of their plan, it could mean the end of Todoroki’s hero course at the school.

The shadow stepped back, letting him in. Shinso quickly and loosely took control, hiding in the subconscious, not interrupting the thought processes.

All of this happened in less than a second as Shinso made his reply, “We should listen to All Might and leave this to the professionals. I’m sure you’ve at least heard of those disgusting videos they posted online, with their demands. What if they kidnap us too, and do the exact same things?”

“MAYBE, but all I know is that at camp I couldn’t do ANYTHING!” Kirishima yelled, and Shinso took over too. He dived in through the redhead’s voice, a very loose hold on the reins, letting everyone think Kirishima was still in control. 

It was always a show he put on, to let everyone know whenever he had brainwashed someone. But he had to put it on, otherwise people wouldn’t know. And that’s what made so many afraid of him, afraid of what he could do. His surgical precision of the mind, to control it, to read it. Go through their book of memories and pick up every thought, feeling, action… ah, but the latter was always so much harder. Easier to put their minds to sleep and control like a puppet. Singing to people, he had to verbalize what he wanted them to do, but grabbing them like this… full control until someone hit a person hard enough that the pain snapped them out of it.

This was a precaution. Surely they’d all go to Yaoyorozu next and ask. And they’d keep one fucking eye on him now.

Everyone stood by as he let Kirishima make a speech, about his helplessness and how they’re all becoming heroes.

“Kirishima, keep it down, we’re in a hospital!” Kaminari put a finger over his lips for emphasis, a hushed, almost panicked tone in his voice, “There’s a better time and place for this dude.”

“Yeah,” Sue let out a ribbit, “Plus, Shinso’s right. We should leave this to the professionals.”

“Listen to me,” Kirishima said, “All of you guys. You’re right. But COME ON,” he turned, getting into Midoriya’s face, “We HAVE to save them! We have a chance! They’re still within your reach! We can save Holly and Bakugo!”

“So, let me get this straight,” Ashido said, holding up two of her fingers and spinning them in thought as she laid it out, “You’re going to get Momo to make another receiver, track the bad guys, and go save them? Wouldn’t it be hard knowing they’ve put them both on some pretty hard drugs?”

“The villains killed a lot of us, but they took them alive,” Todoroki’s face was neutral, but Shinso glanced into his brain. Under that mask Todoroki had a mixture of guilt, worry and disgust.

“We should just leave this to All Might and the others,” Tokoyami said, trying to reason with them, “They probably know more than us and have more resources. We shouldn’t let our emotions get to us.”

“Look, guys, I may not get along with Holly, but…” He voice died, “Neither of them deserve that torture. I agree, we should go after them!”

“What are they doing?” Midoriya asked quietly.

The class paused to look at him. He looked back, jaw locked as a spark of anger flamed in his eyes.

“What are they doing to them?” His voice was hard and cold as steel.

The class looked very uncomfortable at this, but Shinso broke the news. “The villains posted a video yesterday and this morning torturing them with demands to Hornet to give up the Dreamer’s locations. It’s really graphic and you really don’t want to watch it. They raped Bakugo and Holly and tortured them, and it's obvious that they’re both on some pretty heavy shit.”

He gasped in horror.

“Yeah, well if you want to lose your lunch, you should watch it. I couldn’t stand the entire thing,” He said sincerely, “We need to leave this to the professionals.”

“You’ve got to stop them from going Shinso!” Ojiro said to him, “Brainwash them to stop!”

“We all know he can’t brainwash me anymore,” Todoroki said cooly, “And I’ll just punch him if he tries.”

“I won’t stop you,” Shinso completely lied, “I can’t stop you. But I won’t help you either.”

The class gasped as he turned to walk out dramatically, “Good luck you crazy bitches.”

No one went after him, the only two would be compelled by him to stay and make their case. Midoriya cried, of course. Someone took out their phone and showed him.

The rest of the class argued. He noted everyone who wanted to go through the eyes he had taken over, reading their lips. Uraraka and Midoriya. Tonight they would go after them like a bunch of lunatics. He’d have to catch them, and grab them within his control. The plan was to meet Yaoyorozu at sundown. They would probably try to make sure her mind was clean.

He walked into Yaoyorozu, bumping into her.

“Hey Yaoyorozu, how are you?” He asked casually, looking at the bandages.

“Oh, hey Shinso,” She replied, “I’m fine, just going for a brief walk. I’m getting discharged later.”

He took her voice like the strings they were, worming his way into her mind. After camp, he could control up to ten people at the same time if they answered his questions. As long as everyone stayed in the hospital, it would be fine. And he sure as well was going to make sure of that. Kirishima and Todoroki would think they would be there for Midoriya, trying to comfort and cheer him up. Or go to the hospital cafeteria and eat, preparing themselves. Those were valid things to do in the hospital, none the wiser. Of course he’d look away for Yaoyorozu too, only taking control if she agreed to it. But by looking into the past day of her memories, she’d already agreed.

“We were all worried about Midoriya,” Shinso replied to her casually, “He woke up, and… well as you’d imagine, he’s not taking it well. I felt too awkward and left.”

“Oh no,” She gasped, putting her hands on her mouth, tears forming. Her voice hitched up a little, “He saw what they’re doing, didn’t he?”

“They’re showing him pieces. I didn’t want to see it again.” his stomach lurched in honesty when he said that.

“I’ll have to say hi to him later. I heard Class B was massacred.” Yaoyorozu said, wiping a tear, “It’s going to be hard to convince my parents to let me stay at UA after this.”  
Shinso sighed, “Yeah. I’m going to grab some lunch. I’ll see you later.”

Yaoyorozu nodded at him, and they went separate ways.

Waiting.

The most aganized thing there was, to wait. He had to stay at the hospital, of course. Since Uraraka was with them now, it was easy to approach them.

They were all in the hospital’s cafeteria, not really eating their food, staring at it. 

“I’ve changed my mind,” Shinso walked up to them, lying, “You’re going, but if she says yes, you’re going to need me.”

“Really?” Uraraka asked excitedly, “We could really use you, yeah!”

“You’re going too?” He asked innocently with his Quirk.

“Of course! I owe it to them!”

Easy. The boys couldn’t protest, he didn’t let them register, let them even realize when he added Uraraka to his list of those under his control. He would take away their choice. He’d lost too many classmates.

Shinso thought about how some of the kids used to call him a villain for having this Quirk. How terrible he was. While most of Class A was pleasant to them, and some of the most powerful students like Todoroki, Midoriya and Hollow could outright reject his Quirk, the fact that he could control not just their mind and see into their Soul really terrified most of them. 

A bit more manipulation. He went outside and sat on a bench, closing his eyes and concentrating on Yaoyorozu's body and mind. She was getting discharged, and he amplified the want to go home and wait. He played into the fact that she had done all she could, even All Might said so. The need to follow the rules, to stay vanilla. She did everything, after all. Her parents were proud, the number one hero would be proud, and they were going to find them. The others would only get hurt and in the way.

So when Yaoyorozu’s parents asked if she wanted to go home, or stay to visit Midoriya and their other classmates, he made her say yes, even though she wanted to say no. Two hours before sundown, he saw a very expensive car drive into the parking lot, and Yaoyorozu walked out.

What must have been her parents jumped out of the car as they all ran to each other and hugged. Yaoyorozu began sobbing terribly, and Shinso could feel the huge guilt in her, for walking out. 

The car began driving away, and the last of Shinso’s connection on her went out as they drove away. 

Two more hours later, the three he still had control came out and waited. He walked up and stood beside them.

“This all fails if Yaoyorozu chooses not to do it,” Todoroki said plainly, face unreadable.

“I hope she says yes,” Kaminari agreed.

Midoriya walked out. He must have just been discharged. He looked around.

“Where’s Momo?” He asked.

“Unfortunately, she went home,” Shinso said, “I saw her and her parents go.”

“What?” Kanimari shouted, “Didn’t you change your mind? Why didn’t you brainwash her to make her stay?!”

“Raise your hands if I’ve been incognito in your mind for the last day,” Shinso said dully, and Uraraka, Todoroki and Kaminari all raised their hands. He made them silent, staring in horrified realization that only those he allowed to keep their minds realized what was going on.

He didn’t immediately release control, but Midoriya pushed him, “How could you?! We were going to save them!”

He twirled a piece of his hair in his hand, unfazed, “You guys are all fools. Punch me, kick me, scream at me, I don’t want you expelled. This is the best way. Leave it to the professionals.” 

He began to leave, looking at them. Shinso made them all hold Midoriya back as he tried going after him, and Midoriya burst into tears. Shinso hailed for a cab, feeling the connection fade until it snapped. Whatever they did, it was too late. He knew Yaoyorozu was hours and hours away now, back home safe and sound. 

Silence in his mind, no more strings to pull. He paid the cab driver and went back to his hotel to watch the news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shinso takes away their choice, well shit. Vague angst later on. We'll check in with those four later on. Going to let you all simmer on this for now, let the angst stew a bit~  
> Because I'm an evil witch apparently lol.  
> My favorite part of this was being gay panic. Best part to write, easily.  
> Next chapter: Rescuing Bakugo and Hollow :D  
> Thank you for reading guys, leave a comment on what you thought <3


	46. Rescuing the Children

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The heroes go and rescue the children! Endeavour is an asshole, as usual, but remains professional in his job. The rescue goes surprisingly smooth at first, although All Might is horrified to see what state the villains left his students in. But then everything goes wrong.

**_ Camino Ward _ **

“We’ve gathered some of our finest heroes today,” Naomasa Tsukauchi said to those in the room, a determined edge in his voice, “To raid the villainous hideout.”

There were policemen in riot uniforms in the room, All Might, Hornet, Endeavour, and another pro hero named Edgeshot with them. No chairs, as they all stood up, ready. There was a TV screen which held Mt. Lady, Best Jeanist, Gang Orca and Tiger, along with more policemen in riot gear in an identical room across the city. 

Hornet looked at Endeavour dubiously, very unsure why he was here. She would tolerate working with the hero, but Endeavour himself hated everything to do with her.

“Why should I clean up UA’s mess?” Endeavour asked immediately, not waiting until the detective was done.

Hornet suppressed the urge to sigh. There it was. There’s the asshole she knew and hated.

“I’m a very busy man, as you know,” Endeavour continued.

“Get off your high horse,” Best Jeanist scolded him on the TV screen, “You are a UA alum.”

“We can’t call any heroes away from the school,” Naomasa turned to look at the flaming hero, “There’s a bigger picture here, Endeavour.”

“Tch,” Endeavour turned away, like a child.

“Why are you even here, if you do not wish to help?” Hornet asked, “Especially knowing that it is one of mine that is endangered.”

Endeavour glared at her.

Hornet cocked her head, trying to play innocent, “Honestly Endeavour.”

“It’s possible that this incident is the beginning to the end of our society as we know it,” Naomasa interrupted their spat, “We’ll stop at nothing to resolve this successfully.”

“I invited Bakugo to my agency to try and reform him,” Best Jeanist said in an attempt to change the subject, “I’ve met very few as stubborn as he is. I imagine, despite the drugs, he’s fighting back. We need to hurry.”

“Not even you were able to change his behaviour?” Gang Orca asked curiously.

Best Jeanist put a hand to his head dramatically, “Yes. Inflexible. Pride sewn into his very core.”

“My comrade, Ragdoll, was also taken,” Tiger hit his fist in his hand, “This is also my chance to get her back.”

“Thanks to a tracking device placed by one of the students, we now believe there are two hideouts.” Naomasa once again interrupted the heroes. “And thanks to our investigations, we have a strong idea of where the kidnapped victims are located. We’ll send the bulk of our forces there. Retrieving the children is our top priority. At the same time we’ll gain control of the other hideout. This will cut off their paths of retreat. We’ll arrest them all at once.”

“I will remind everyone as well that there’s a possibility of infection,” Hornet said once he was done, “I’ve been researching a cure, even with Her imprisonment, but should any of the heroes here get infected and the possible cures don’t work,” Hornet let out a sinister giggle, “Well, you have all updated your wills. We have no idea what we’re getting into here.”

“We have the element of surprise!” Naomasa cried, raising a fist to rally all of them, “These villains will not succeed! At the press conference earlier we had Nezu act clueless, making it seem like we had no leads! The villains won’t expect us to come charging down them today. We will save them all! We’ll retaliate! It’s time to counter-attack! Remind the world of what you can do, Heroes!”

Hornet found herself impressed by the detective’s rallying cry. The heroes began to walk out of the room, last minute preparations. Hornet equipped her Weaverlings once again, and the tiny companions appeared for her aid in capturing the villains.

“Endeavour,” She said cooly, and the shitbag of a hero stopped and turned.

“What?” He replied rather rudely.

“Why did you agree to this?” Hornet asked genuinely. “I was under the impression you hated my little Ghost.”

Endeavour looked surprised for a moment, then growled, “I’m still a fucking hero, you little spider. Know your place.”

Hornet, the princess hero of spiders and protector of bugs, couldn’t help but scoff. “May Radiance never tempt you, Endeavour. For I would enjoy chopping off your head.”

“I would say the same, _princess_.” Endeavour growled at her.

Some things never change, despite everything else moving forward. The forces began moving out. As Hornet took her position with All Might and the forces began leaving the police station, he noticed he’d put away his cell phone.

“Who are you calling so late?” Hornet asked him, hopping onto his back as they had all planned earlier.

“I heard young Midoriya woke up,” All Might replied, “I left a message. He might be busy.”

“He may be speaking to his family, or asleep again. It is midnight.” Hornet said as they began leaving the police station with all the others, shuffling out.

All Might didn’t answer. 

It was a quick way to the first hideout. Policemen and heroes drove there, and the Heroes marched out. Endeavour in the back, All Might and Hornet in the front. Hornet could see Edgeshot weaving his way in, scouting for them.

Hornet sent in her Weaverlings to scout with Edgeshot, to let everyone take position, as a policeman with the ability to make illusions cloaked all in shadows, making the street just look like a bunch of crowding pedestrians instead of a raid. 

Letting them whisper to her, it took a few hours to get everything set right as Edgeshot and the Weaverlings completed scouting.

* * *

The drugs were wearing off again. Holly could tell, as the bodily twitches were residing, the urge to howl and sing going away. 

It was hard to keep track of time in this place, especially when it felt like her skin would burst as the Shade crawled, forcing screams and howls to tear itself from her throat. Chanting and incanting, but her mind didn’t seem to deteriorate into another realm as her friend’s did. Holly had been aware of every word, every touch, every tortuous thing that was going on. 

The room was empty of anyone. The villains had cleared out again, perhaps to go get food. They were drugged after all, exhausted and weak from lack of food as well as being tortured once again. 

Kacchan’s eyes were clearing, coming back to reality.

“Kacchan,” Holly said, “Can you understand me?”

He blinked rapidly, then looked down at himself. His face twisted in disgust again realizing he was utterly naked and sitting in his own waste, and the cuts all across his chest that had been slashed. They were amping up the torture, to get Hornet to give everything up.

“Kacchan,” Holly called again.

He turned to her. While they looked untouched, it was mostly due to their Quirk. Holly still sat upon waste, though it was not their own. He frowned.

“What the fuck are they doing to you?” His voice was hoarse from his screams today. He looked around, “Where are they?”

“They went to get some food,” They replied, “I think they’re going to finally feed us now too.”

He grunted then looked around. They were both in the bar again. Kacchan's eyes were tired, but there was still a spark of fight in them. Despite the drugs, despite how tired he was, he'd still fight everyone to death.

Holly struggled against their restraints, trying to use her sharp claws to get out of the bindings. But the way her hands had been folded together before being tied up made it very hard.

"Can you see anything that I may kill myself with?" Holly asked him.

"You can stand up?" he asked in reply.

A brief pause. 

"No."

The villains came in, with food.

"Oh good, you're awake," Holly knew him only as Shigaraki said. "We can get started with the next demand video. With you both off the drugs."

"Fuck you," Kacchan spat, "make yourself useful and run into traffic."

"Now that's not very nice," Shigaraki scolded them. 

Holly saw something in the corner of their eyes. A normal little brown recluse spider, followed by a Weaverling. 

A line of red followed in the air, as if observing. Thin, translucent lines that you could only see because the light had hit them appeared. A trap was being made, one that Holly had only heard of Hornet talking about, but had never seen in action. A web was being made as the villains continued to talk and remain in their place, lecturing them. The Vessel sat, unblinking at the villains as it watched the Weaverlings construct such a unique trap.

"There, All Might," Hornet pointed to a wall, "you'll hit the villains and be in sight of the children." 

All Might jumped, punching in the wall. Immediately he knew he knocked out 2 villains as Hornet tightened her silk, binding them all in a trap she laid. In the same instance Edgeshot unfolded himself and knocked out Kurogiri and a Nomu that had appeared.

"I AM HERE!" he declared, and his eyes turned to the children. The stink hit him first. Human waste of every kind, and they both were tied up in it, naked.

"Do not fear children," All Might walked to them, breaking the chains that bound Bakugo's hands carefully and taking him out of his restraints, "I'm here to rescue you."

Bakugo's eyes grew wide, but then his face became red, and he looked away.

"Here," Hornet walked over and handed him a shimmering, beautiful white cloak, "dress yourself."

Bakugo put it on as All Might freed young Hollow. They were also naked, and covered in waste. Hornet gave them a cloak as well.

The students embraced each other, Bakugo shaking like a leaf.

"You're safe now," All Might said 

"No no no no!" Shigaraki hissed, "Father! Mother! This isn't how it's supposed to go!"

"Silence," Hornet tightened her strings, "You are all under arrest for the kidnapping of minors, child abuse, torture, and murder. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a human court of law. You will be tried as humans first. For the humans surely shall be more merciful than the Bugs court of law."

"Is Kurogiri knocked out, Edgeshot?" All Might asked.

"Of course," Edgeshot appeared, "first one I took out."

"Well, this is easier than I thought," All Might commented, putting a finger to his ear, "Team two, is the retreat secure?"

"Secured," Best Jeanist's pleasant, elegant voice said.

"Almost too easy," Mt. Lady commented.

Bakugo's stomach growled, loudly. 

In a distance, there was a bang. Everyone turned outside and looked at the noise.

Bakugo made a choking sound. Grey, disgusting goop dripped from his mouth as he tried to claw it out. Hollow was already covered in it, but her mouth was free.

"Hornet!" the young bug cried as Bakugo disappeared, "Kill them all!" a forked brand appeared on their forehead, the mark of the King, "Everyone who is responsible for this crime against us! Kill all villains here today!"

The other villains were covered in the slime as well All Might gasped in shock, Nomu appearing.

"Edgeshot, I thought you said you knocked him out!" All Might yelled as Holly was covered in the gunk, disappearing as well.

"This isn't him!" Edgeshot replied, and all of the villains whose mouths weren't covered laughed at them, taunting them. 

With her needle Hornet snapped her string taunt. Exposed body parts sticking out of the teleporting gray liquid rolled onto the floor, cleanly and neatly cut before pouring out blood. 

“All Might!” Hornet cried out as Nomu’s appeared, but the number one hero was gone, sending out his own shockwave, throwing Hornet back a few feet, “Wait!”

Hornet jumped on one and immediately executed it, taking out its brain. Down below, she could see Endeavour and the policemen fighting off their own Nomu.

“Go after that idiot!” Endeavour cried, “He’s going to need backup! I got it here!” 

Hornet didn’t argue. Instead, she threw her needle and began to fly towards the destruction. 

* * *

Katsuki gasped as he fell to the ground, Holly landing next to him. He was somewhere completely different. He recognized Mt. Lady and Best Jeanist as they, along with many other scattered heroes and policemen, lay on the ground, knocked out. Katsuki looked around frantically, trying to bring his mind together to focus. He wasn’t out of danger yet. 

He gripped the cloak that Hornet had given him, glad that something would cover his nakedness. He noticed Holly standing next to him, doing the same thing.

Body parts appeared all around him. The head of the blonde rolled in front of him, constant blushing face forever frozen in shock. Destruction of buildings everywhere, as if a bomb had exploded and this was ground zero. 

“Now here’s something I didn’t expect,” Katsuki snapped his neck towards the noise, his brain still wearing off from the drugs. A villain, imposing, eyeless, floated above them. He sounded surprised and amused as he let out a laugh.

If everything wasn’t already empty, the young boy might have shit his pants in fear. Instead he took a step back as All Might suddenly was there, punching him to the ground.

He felt Holly jump onto his back. She bit his neck and dug in his skin as he felt it. An uncomfortable feeling as he was once again teleported away.

There is a room. Hotel room? There are beds here and there are other people, standing around, staring at him. Are they his classmates? His idiot friends from UA, the stupidest bunch of fucking heroes. Maybe. He can't tell if they just re-injected him with drugs, but better now. He's not tripping so hard that his nightmares are popping into existance, at least. 

He’s dizzy and confused and afraid and tries to make sense of it all. Katsuki can hear voices, voices of many. This was another hallucination. Did Holly free him?  
He attacks the first hand that’s laid upon him and screams as his eyes clear. A few seconds later and he realized it was Eijiro Kirishima, the gayest mother fucker alive. Eijiro tried to calm him, to talk to him, but he’s looking around for the familiar monster, the hallucination that kept him sane. His eyes settled on Holly, and she gave off the same solid comfort, the same ease. So he stayed silent, listening, waiting again, watching them until these stupid drugs wore off and he could have his mind back. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course I leave it like that lol.  
> Sorry, I've had to go back to working on site (booo) and no longer work at home, so less time between clients to write! Still, I'm happy about this! The League of Villains is dead, All for One is here, and an epic showdown will begin.... Eagerness! Emotion! Feelings! All that and more next time :D  
> If you're curious, Holly kept their mind but the drugs still affected their body, making them sing and howl. They were aware everything the villains where doing and planning. Is it more cursed that she be tortured fully aware of everything that they're doing, or does Katsuki have it worse? I do want to hear about it in the comments!  
> Thanks for reading, leave a comment, I love reading them <3


	47. Sickening Anxiety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku has a crisis, trying to distract himself after being robbed of his chance to save his friends... but nothing's working. A surprise appearance wakes him out and puts him on new alert levels.

Deku began crying again before turning to each of his friends and giving them a solid slap to each of their faces, snapping them out of Shinso's control. He knew distance would snap them out too, but for now he wanted them back to normal.

"That mother fucker!" Eijiro exclaimed as he rubbed his cheek, "I can't believe he did that."

"Now what?" Urakaka asked, turning to Shoto, "Can the Grimmchild teleport us to Yaoyorozu?"

"Too far, tire quick," Grimmchild answered instead, "Apologies."

Shoto made ice for everyone, passing it out

"That was a bitch move." Eijiro grumbled again. 

"It looks like we might just have to wait this one out." Shoto said, “Forced to the sidelines.”   


Grimmchild asked Izuku if he wanted to spend the night with them, and Izuku nodded solemnly. He had intended to spend one more night away to save them instead of going home, but now… he really didn’t know what to do. 

Shoto snapped his fingers and scarlet flames enveloped everyone, bringing them to a hotel room where Grimm himself awaited, crocheting. 

"Evening, children," Grimm said pleasantly, "I take it you are all feeling better?"

"Hey, wait, you helped us at camp!" Izuku said, "Why didn't you kill the other guy too?!"

Grimm looked up at him curiously, "You mean the Nightmare King? I'm afraid I'm just His Vessel young one, not the King Himself. He only shows Himself during rituals and particularly good performances, or, in this case, to aid the blessed."

He looked at the Grimm, startled, then wiped his eyes. Shoto seemed to have only teleported the guys and left Uraraka behind. Deku sat down on the bed, grabbing a pillow and screaming into it.

Eijiro and Shoto sat next to him sympathetically. Eijiro put a hand on his back as Deku silently let tears fall from his cheeks.

"Do you only teleport guys Grimmchild?" he asked rawly.

"Girl was going home, nyeh," Grimmchild said, "she no want to come."

"How are you able to tell?" Eijiro asked.

"Short-term memory lost after I teleported. I asked," Grimmchild stated simply, "she said she go home."

Izuku held the pillow, looking at it pensively.

Grimm turned on the TV, “I will order some dinner. You all like pizza, correct?”

They all muttered what they wanted, watching the news now. In a few hours there’d be a press conference with the school.

Izuku’s heart still sank, tears still slowing silently. He understood where his other classmate was coming from, but damn it, he had All Might’s power! He could do it! He could’ve…

And All Might was getting weaker too. It was hard to tell, but Deku knew that his time using the embers of One for All was getting shorter and shorter. It was only a matter of time before he could no longer be the Symbol of Peace. 

Shoto seemed to take out a crochet needle and began working on something as they all sat in the huge bed together, watching the news. The broadcast their school was putting on would start in another hour now.

“I still can’t believe he fucking did that,” Eijiro muttered, breaking the silence.

“There’s not much we can do now,” Shoto replied, beginning on what looked like at this point a very crooked sock.

“What are you doing?” Eijiro asked him.

“Oh, I’m trying to make a glove,” Shoto said, “Grimm taught me how to crochet a little but I keep starting this over. It always comes out crooked.”   
“That’s super manly.”

“Thanks?”

There was a knock on the door and Grimm brought in the pizzas. He passed out slices to them all on paper plates. Izuku was only able to take a few bites.

“We have to keep up our strength man,” Eijiro said, “It does them no good.”

“I’m not very hungry,” He replied, shaking his head, “I can’t. I feel sick eating knowing they’re not.”

The other two were silent.

“You need fuel, child. How else are you to help if you cannot gain the energy?” Grimm said, his rough voice somehow soothing.

Izuku shrugged and tried a few more bites, but he swallowed hard. It felt like golf balls down his throat. He pushed his plate away.

“I’m full. I can’t eat any more,” He said as his stomach turned in nausea. Izuku knew exactly what was going on with his body. It was sick with worry. He knew he should eat but he couldn’t eat. Just sitting here in a bed surrounded by safety made him feel sick when there were things he could be doing, should be doing. But Momo was hours away now, and probably not going to come back to help.

* * *

"The interview with UA's administration has begun," the newscaster said as the camera panned over to principal Nezu, Mr. Aizawa and Vlad King.

"We would like to begin by apologising to every parent who entrusted their children into our care," Nezu stated.

“It’s our job to train future heroes, but it’s also our job to protect heroes in training,” Mr. Aizawa said.

They all bowed.

Questions began flying at all of them.

Who’s informed the families of the deaths of the children?   
Why would you let them use their Quirks against villains?

Was anyone infected?

The long-term effects of those injured and how will this affect the children?

What kind of policies will you change?

What about the mental and physical torture of two of your students? 

The investigation of the missing?

* * *

Question after question they asked, the media doing their best to paint the three of them as villains. Izuku thought that they were handling it well, until he glanced at his phone. People he knew online were shit talking all of them, calling heroes villains, everyone was going crazy, or maybe it wasn’t a bad idea that Radiance was coming back. Izuku put his phone down. Looking at that was making him more anxious and feel even worse.

Fuck, if only…. But…

He sighed, sitting on the pillow, just listening to the broadcast. 

"Children, you should sleep," Grimm turned off the TV hours later, "this will probably go on all night."

"We don't have school," Izuku protested.

"You're making yourself sick with worry," Grimm said, "Get ready for bed!"

"No use arguing," Todoroki said.

"It's not even halfway over," Eijiro complained, yawning.

Izuku was about to complain too when his eyes glowed, dreamcatchers filling them.

"FUCK WHAT THE FUCK." Kacchan's voice screamed in surprise. Izuku rubbed his eyes quickly to clear them when he realized Holly was sitting on top of him. Her eyes were dulled and her body twitched on top of me.

"Bakugo!" Eijiro cried in surprise, "How did you- it's ok man calm down!"

Bakugo started to curse every language in the book as Holly slid off of Izuku's whose face was red, looking around, face filled with confusion. 

"You must be the new teleportation point. I stabbed you at camp, remember? I didn't know you became it," Holly said as suddenly their smell hit him. They smelled like human waste and were in Hornet's rescue cloaks. Izuku gagged at it. 

Balugo's eyes were wide as he stared at Holly, and it was obvious he was on drugs wearing off.

"I need a cell phone!" Holly demanded.

"Here, child," Grimm said, shaking his head, "Are you alright?"

"Drugs are wearing off but I still remember this number" Holly replied, dialing.

"This is real?" Bakugo asked.

"It feels like it, " she replied, dialing.

Shoto quickly turned on the TV once again as Holly made her call, and everyone gasped at the emergency broadcast. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took so long and I didn't want to continuously delay everything. So here it is! Yay. Procrastination is FUN  
> Next time: Action. Lots of fucking action.
> 
> Leave a comment on your thoughts :D


	48. Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An epic showdown against All for One begins! Can All Might and Hornet stand up to the ultimate evil?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Battle heavy, with some gore. Get ready for a ride.

Five minutes earlier, at the other raid hideout, Tiger had picked up Ragdoll. Her eyes were lifeless, her face slack. She was breathing, slow, deep breaths as Tiger wrapped her in a blanket to cover her nakedness. It was clear as day to Tiger that she’d been manipulated somehow.

“Is that your teammate?” Gang Orca asked, “She’s breathing, at least.”

“Yes, and there’s something wrong with her!” Tiger exclaimed.

There were slow, careful footsteps coming from the darkness.

“I’m sorry Tiger,” a male, almost otherly voice stated, “But Ragdoll’s Quirk was so useful. Ever since my body was mostly destroyed, I haven’t been able to stock up on Quirks. I just had to take it, how could I not?”

All heroes turned their heads to the darkness.

“Are you with the League?” Gang Orca asked. 

A single, black show appeared in the moonlight.

“Stop there, don’t move!” Gang Orca ordered.

A man in a well-dressed suit appeared, although his face was still very much hidden.

Thinking fast, Best Jeanist clenched a hand and held it towards the mysterious stranger. In an instant the fibers in his clothing binded, arms and legs forced together as he stood in his own prison.

“Hey, he could just be a bystander!” Mt. Lady complained, “You can’t just attack like that.”

“Think about the situation, a moment’s hesitation could decide the fight!” Best Jeanist scolded.

Black and red lightning surrounded the villain. An explosion white light blinded everyone.

Carnage. There was a ground zero from where the villain stood. Smoke started up as destroyed buildings burned.

All for One looked down at the bodies of various knocked out heroes. He could feel Radiance inside him, and both of them almost got a sick pleasure from this.

He slowly clapped to Best Jeanist, who was still conscious.

“I see why you’re the number four hero now,” All for One said, “That blast was supposed to annihilate the lot of you, but you were able to manipulate everyone’s clothing and pull them out of the way just in time. Quick thinking, consider me impressed.”

Best Jeanist looked at him, bones broken and bleeded, but his eyes were set in determination.

He remembered the briefing, if the villain didn’t think his safety wasn’t guaranteed, he wouldn’t reveal himself. It wasn’t supposed to go like this. Best Jeanist pulled himself up by his own clothes. A real hero doesn’t believe in excuses!

He let out more of his strings forward, intending to bind him again.

The villain blew it all back, and with a blast that went straight through his stomach, blowing a huge hole in it. Best Jeanist’s eyes rolled into his head.

“Now I see,” All for One said, “Your strength comes from experience and practice. I don’t need your Quirk. 

They summoned the rest of the League of Villains away from the raid, as well as the hostages. Grey gunk appeared as first the children dropped from them…. Then the rest of the league. To the villain’s surprise, his carefully crafted villains… only body parts came. 

“Well, it looks like only their exposed appendages came,” All for One noted as heads rolled on the floor and the children looked up at him in terror, “No matter.”

He held up a hand to kill them, and thought of starting all over again when someone punched him straight in the face. 

Or at least tried. He caught All Might’s fist in one hand, sending out shockwaves and blowing down the buildings who had teetered precariously.

There was a flash of dreamcatchers, and All for One was mildly annoyed to see that the pair of hostages they had teleported away. He wasn’t aware the young bug had another Quirk. 

No, that was no Quirk of theirs naturally. It must’ve been the work of his mistake of a child.

Hornet was swinging across the ruins of the city as fast as she could when her emergency phone rang. She picked it up, for only one knew of this number.

“We’re safe, we’re safe!” Holly’s voice rang from the other end, “We’re with Deku. He’s my teleportation point. He says we’re hours and hours away.”

“Good,” Hornet hung up, then pressed her communication device, “All Might, the children are safe,” she was there at the battlefield and swung down to his side, brandishing her Needle, “Let’s get this over with.”

“I came only to save the League. But you’ve-” Hornet didn’t let the villain finish speaking as she leapt forward and stabbed him in the arm. 

All for One moved out of the way and sent a blast at her. All Might charged and All for One caught the punch.

“What a rude little spider!” All for One calmly shook his head, “You should let so-” All Might punched him with his other fist as Hornet came back down again.

“Get good, All for One!” Hornet yelled, throwing out a spinning buzzsaw. The villain caught it, and threw it back, along with a few of his fingers.

Hornet hounced above it and swung downwards. All for One teleported her above All Might, who was hit full force. He let out a cry and grabbed Hornet, throwing her out of the goo and punched All for One again, sending out another shockwave. 

“In the past you both crushed my comrades. Many were forced into the shadows. You even locked up my dear wife in your own sibling, Hornet. You wear the badge of heroes with pride, but both of you should be condemned as villains, like me.”

“All Might, punch him again! Don’t listen!” Hornet said as All Might glared.

Hornet stabbed her needle into the ground as black electricity flowed from the villains fist.

“DETROIT SMASH!” All Might yelled as their fists met, leveling the entirety of the ground even further of buildings and debris.

Hornet was blown back a few feet anyways, tumbling.

“You still hold back your attacks,” All for One said, “You’re still trying to protect those innocents.” His voice distorted for a moment, “Our people. They’re not yours in any way.”

“Shut up!” All Might shouted, “You steal people! Discard and manipulate them! I won’t let you do that any longer! DETROIT SMASH!”

“Remember where you started!” Hornet shouted at him, through the shockwaves, “Do not let him get under your skin! Symbol of Peace! All Might!”

* * *

In the middle of a wintery day, where the snow fell and the world was hushed, a young Toshinori Yagi had run into one of the early heroes back in the day, one who could float herself and was incredibly strong. He himself was lean, a small boy with wide eyes and hopes. 

“I wanna make a world where everyone smiles and lives together happily. Not like the weird zombie-like state. For that to happen people need a symbol. Someone who’s strong enough to defeat the one who’s controlling this disease.”

“A symbol?” The tall woman asked curiously, looking down the frozen river.

“A symbol of Peace. The reason why crime is on the rise and everyone’s infecting themselves is because they have no one to believe in. They no longer have any hope, or purpose. That’s why I wanna be the pillar that gives people hope! They may have lost hope in the Pale King, but maybe I can be their hope instead.”

The woman frowned for a moment, but then smiled. “Huh. So that’s what drives you to be a hero, even though you’re Quirkless.”

“Yes!” he replied enthusiastically. 

The woman chuckled, turning to face him. “Toshinori Yagi? S’that right? Those are some pretty funny ideals ya got. You’re kinda crazy.”

* * *

The dust settled for a moment. All Might himself was beginning to smoke as he panted, looking down at All for One. He’d broken the villain’s mask, and where his eyes had been were two glowing, infected dots.

“You have a lot in common with that woman,” All for One stated, “Nana Shimura, the utter waste of a human who passed One for All to you.”

All Might thought back to his old master, how she was proud of him. The training, the hardships.

“My master was a true hero,” All Might growled, “Keep her name out of your filthy mouth!”

“A woman with no skill, and grand ideas she couldn’t live up to. How embarrassing for me, the creator of One for All, to see her inherit the power. And the way she died was so pathetic. Shall I tell you all about it?”

“Enough!” All Might tried to punch him again, but he was blown backwards by an explosion, into the air, straight for a news helicopter that was broadcasting the entire fight.

Hornet caught him from the air, intercepting All Might before he could hit the helicopter.

“It’s the same as last time!” Hornet scolded, “Do not listen to him! Calm yourself! Less talking and more fighting, Toshinori! He’s infected himself, so he will be harder to kill. We need to behead him! You let yourself get distracted, and we thought he died. This time I’m personally going to hang his head on my wall and have the Nightmare King burn the rest of his body!”

All Might coughed out blood and nodded as Hornet’s webs formed a parachute and softened their landing.

“It appears since infecting himself that his fighting style has changed,” Hornet said, “Use your wits! We cannot engage him head-on. We must be clever about this!”

“Yes ma’am,” All Might coughed up more blood.

“Can you still fight? Do you need Lifeblood?”

All Might coughed again, “Save it for a real emergency. I can still fight.”

People all over had their eyes glued to the screens. The remains of Class 1-A gasped and shook in their seats to see their teacher get beat up so much. People all over the world commented how bad the villain attacks were getting, how bold some of these villains were.

But both people and bugs were confident. All Might’s the best, he’ll win in the end for sure, right?

“I killed your master, sure,” All for One said, putting a hand to his chest, “But you’ve taken so much from me. Imprisoned my wife, killed my League. That’s why I want you to suffer until your last breath, and die broken and disgraced for all the world to see!”

His arm expanded and began shooting out black electricity again.

“A big one! Dodge, All Might!” Hornet ordered, jumping into the air, out of his line of sight and purposefully throwing her needle behind the villain. 

“Not everyone’s so fast!” The villain held out his arm, aiming behind All Might. All Might noticed a civilian trying to climb out of the rubble, extremely injured.

“I will obliterate everything you’ve protected!” All for One cried, letting out another huge blast.

Hornet got behind him and stabbed one of All for One tubes quickly.

“You stupid child of rape!” All for One turned and grabbed Hornet before she could jump away, “Child of the Pale King, disgrace!”

He stabbed Hornet through the guts as his blast aimed at All Might settled. Hornet let out a scream as her body began to glow, then became limp and lifeless. He tossed Hornet’s body at All Might, as it began to cover itself in webs.

“Hornet!” All Might shouted, his body now deflated, tears in his eyes while he continued to hold up his fist.

“And I will kill you too,” All for One said, “Look at you. Sunken eyes and hollow cheeks. Show the world how pitiful you really are, ‘Symbol of Peace.’”

All Might stood there, shaking as he tried to hold himself together, a frown on his face.

At the hotel, Izuku was beginning to freak out. Hornet was just killed, one-shotted like it was nothing! And now All Might’s secret was exposed.

“Is anyone else seeing this?” The reporter on the news asked, shocked, “It-It looks like All Might’s been shrunk somehow!”

He thought back to All Might telling him about the fight with Radiance. How his part of the fight was kept strictly under wraps. 

Sweat dripped down his face as the entire room was silent, watching the camera pan over how All Might looked, then to Hornet’s body on the ground, now covered in webs. He knew that’s what happened when normal spiders died, but he didn’t think Hornet… She was a higher Being after all, he didn’t know they could- that they were capable of _dying_. 

“To think that you’re their greatest hero,” All for One spread out his arms, as if this was a show, “To think that you’re their greatest hero! Now the adoring public knows your true form. Try not to be ashamed.”

All Might didn’t reply, but he looked very dead on the inside.

“Even as my body rots and grows frail, even as you expose my weakened state, even as you kill my closest friend,” All Might closed his bloody fist, “In my heart, I remain the symbol of Peace. And there’s nothing you can do to take that from me!”

“Oh, is that so?” All for One said mockingly, “I guess I’ll just give up. Oh,” He held up a finger, “There’s one thing you ought to know, though. Tomura Shigaraki, the boy you and Hornet accidentally killed, was actually Nana Shimura's grandson”

“No!” All Might focuses on Hornet’s words, when only minutes ago she was alive. Don’t listen to his prattle, do not listen to him speak! 

But All Might’s heart finally crumbled, finally broke. 

“I wondered what would finally break your golden heart.” All for One laughed, and another voice spoke, “Through your distant, far-away dreams, we knew it would be him. We found him, groomed him to hate you, watched you smile as you beat your master’s descendent.”

“That’s a lie!”

“Come on, you know it's the truth” All for One’s voice became normal again, “We all know it’s something we would do.”

All Might’s fist fell to his side as his face completely crumbled. All for One laughed at him.

“You bastard,” It came out as a weak mutter, as if All Might was still processing it. This was too much at once for the Symbol of Peace.

All for One continued to laugh, “How very entertaining.”

“My god what would she say if she knew how he turned out?” All Might muttered, then let out a scream of agony.

“Don’t… lose…” The civilian All Might protected held up an arm, “Keep going All Might! We need you!”

People across the world were shocked as the number one hero just stood there, utterly frozen. They didn’t hear the villains words, but looking at the entire scene, many thought he was going into shock because Hornet had died in front of him. 

Crowds began to cheer, people began to scream. 

“Come on All Might! Beat this guy!” People screamed. “Beat him!”

At the hotel, all of the boys started to scream at the TV as well.

“Come on All Might! Beat him! You can do it!” They shouted, shaking, “Beat him! Beat him!”

The cheers of the world, the cheers of far-away crowds reached All Might’s ears.

“Fear not, miss,” All Might said, gathering as much power as he could, “You’re right, a hero has so much to protect in this world. Which is why I will defeat you!”

He thought of his master again. To remember why he clenched his fist, to remember why he fought. To keep his origin in mind, to help push him past his limits.

_I wanna make a world where everyone smiles and lives together happily._

Muscles only formed on his right arm as he let out little sparks of yellow electricity. 

“That’s it, isn’t it? A wounded hero is a most frightening animal,” All for One said, floating up, arm charging with power, “Did you know that even now I sometimes dream of you charging at me with your entrails strewn across the ground? An amazing dream, really.”

A burst of flames stopped the explosion, and the villain turned.

“What the FUCK’S going on with that weak little body!” Endeavour screamed at him, “Damn it All Might!”

“Ah, the number two hero finally shows up,” All for One stated, as if this was still nothing more than a game.

“Stand up and show them why you’re better!” Endeavour yelled at him, and All Might looked at him strangely through his bleeding eye.

“If you’ve only come to cheer him on, then I prefer if you’d remain silent,” All for One aimed his arm at them, as suddenly Edgeshot twisted and flew behind him.

“Cheer him on, we’ve come to assist,” He said easily, as both he and Endeavour jumped to begin their own fight.

Other pro heroes quickly showed up to take away the bodies of the fallen, quickly clearing the new arena of innocents. 

“All of you came,” All Might said.

“Of course we did,” Tiger had stood up, finally awake from being knocked out and grabbing the civilian All Might protected, “We can’t do much, but even if we help a little, we’ve done our duties.”

“Thank you,” All Might said.

“How pointless,” All for One let out a huge blast, instantly blowing away Edgeshot and Endeavour, “Let’s stop focusing on heroism and focus on reality. I may have killed Hornet, but Radiance will still break out of her imprisonment. Already she’s begun to spread her reach once again. It spreads by dreams.”

All for One came down and grabbed All Might by the neck, grabbing him in the stomach again, “Let everyone have their dreams broken, to let her in.” He yanked, and ripped out All Might’s left side away, letting entrails and guts spill out. He held him towards the news helicopter, showing off All Might as he let out a shriek in surprise and pain.

“Let everyone see this day, let everyone in the world see All Might die!”

It was so quick that if you blinked, you missed it. A Needle flew into the villain’s back, right where his heart would be and a thread of silk pulled itself taunt as Hornet quickly flew down. She yanked it out and chopped off All For One’s head.

Hornet caught All Might with her other hand as she gently flew down, piercing All for One’s head in her Needle. She set him on the ground first and held the head high into the air for all to see.

“Endeavour!” Hornet yelled as her rival came rushing back, “Burn the body!” She tossed her Needle back over, “And leave me only this one’s skull.”

Endeavour didn’t say anything, no retort. His eyes widened in surprise and for once, just did what he was ordered to do.

Hornet turned to All Might and immediately gave him a shot of Lifeblood, weaving silk quickly to stop the bleeding.

“H-Hornet?” All Might asked weakly.

“Yes, it turns out, I cannot be killed. Like the Vessels, it seems killing me resets me to my last resting point. Which was 10 miles away. I apologize,” Hornet said, putting on more silk, “Be still, All Might. I need to stop bleeding.”

All Might’s face was pale and ashen, “Hornet… I don’t wanna die.”

“You’re not going to die!” Hornet said sharply, “I can heal this!”

“Hornet,” There were tears in his eyes, “We both know you can’t. I can feel it.”

The sun began to rise in the distance, the first light arriving. It washed away the sky, casting an almost angelic glow on All Might.

“Don’t say that,” Hornet replied as he bled through her silk bandages, “I can heal you! We’ll all be laughing at this later as I scold you for being so foolish again!”

He grabbed her cloak tightly, tears in his eyes, “Stop.”

Hornet stopped, and she cried through her mask. “Toshinori, my friend, you’re not going to die here!”

“Stop lying to yourself Hornet. We both know you can’t fix this.” He moved, putting his own hand over his wound. "Stand me up. Let them see me one more time.

Hornet helped him to his feet as All Might clutched his bleeding side, holding up the other fist in victory. He could faintly hear people cheering as he expanded himself one more time. They needed to see he was OK, when he wasn't. All Might forced himself to smile, and Hornet waved to the helicopter. The perfect image, one of victory. Front papers and news headlines about such an epic victory.

No one else interfered or tried to stop them. They were pros, after all. They could see a dying man, trying one last time to inspire. A true hero. Instead the other heroes turned away and began helping rescue others.

After a minute, All Might collapsed to the ground where Hornet applied another patch of silk.

“I had so much I wanted to teach Midoriya,” All Might coughed, too tired for tears, sitting up, “Can you-”

“Of course I will,” Hornet replied, then pointed to the rising sun. “Just focus on that for me, alright? The Lifeblood makes it painless, so let’s enjoy one more sunrise, together.”

“Thank you.” He turned his head towards the rising sun, “Izuku Midoriya, wherever you are… it’s… your… turn.” 

All Might’s grip on Hornet loosened as the life in his eyes flickered. Hornet gave him a reassuring squeeze as sirens began going off all around them. The sun continued to rise, bathing the world in a golden hue. The friends sat together, watching it all through the chaos, through the madness. All Might watched the sun rise, wanting to get up, but his body felt too numb. His eyes began to get heavy, and he blinked, trying to stay awake. The battle hit him harder than anything. 

“Close your eyes, Toshinori Yagi,” Hornet said gently, “Sleep, my Symbol of Peace.”

All Might obeyed, closing his eyes in exhaustion, then slowly slumped over. Hornet laid him down properly, then took out another rescue cloak and put it on the body, wiping away her tears.

“Goodnight, Toshinori Yagi, All Might.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I roller-coasted punched every fucking feeling in the GUTS.  
> Man, what an epic battle! I didn't want to put "warning, death" in the beginning, but hey! Finally killed a major character! All Might's now been added to the kill count.  
> Also why I put tags that say "Silksong somewhat applies". Hornet's first time dying, and, as it turns out, she has very similar abilities as all the other vessels. Yay!  
> PLEASE comment! I wanna know your reactions! Did you cry? Sob? Scream in surprise?   
> Thanks for reading, I hope everyone had a happy Halloween!


	49. The World Slants and Goes Black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inko Midoriya has her heart set on keeping Izuku from ever going back to UA. But once she learns of the consequences, her heart breaks as she tries not to have a breakdown.

Grimm took the pair immediately to the Police Station once everything was sent home. Neither said a word to anyone the entire time. Kacchan had become completely silent with Holly, but Izuku noticed the look on his face… Pensive, full of despair, confused, twisted.

And then, after their entire world was turned upside down...they went home.

* * *

Of course, as such things go, there were great memorials of it all. 

The world cried at All Might's death, weeped and sobbed. An official memorial was made, and erected.

But it was up to Hornet on what to do with his body when All Might's lawyers delivered her the paperwork.

She sighed and looked at it. "He left most to me and to deliver these, didn't he?" she asked, looking over his will.

The little beetle that was his lawyer nodded, adjusting his glasses, "yes yes, he's been cremated and the ashes are yours. Most of his estate is too! He wants you to deliver some things to some of his students. He said you'd know what to do for these ones."

Hornet looked them over. The Midoriyas, of course. And the Bakugos. They may be his students but All Might did know them as Mr. M.  
Their hearts must ache. She hadn't had time to check in with Katsuki, at least. But she knew he was safe and back home, although probably extremely traumatized.

"All right," Hornet sighed, and took the letters, "will we drive there?"

"I can," the lawyer nodded.

Hornet nodded and went out to the lobby, where Holly had been sitting patiently.

"Come little ghost. I must deliver letters."

* * *

Mr. Aizawa was just leaving the Bakugo household, looking at his list for the next stop. The Midoriyas lived around the corner. It made sense, knowing how close those were.

It’d been much easier than he thought, convincing the Bakugos. They just wanted his son to be guaranteed to be able to go to therapy if they were putting him in the dorms.

His face darkened, thinking about his class. So whittled down by death and destruction, he wasn’t surprised by the amount of no’s he’s had so far. Radiance coming back and rearing her ugly head, along with All Might’s death… it could be much for some.

He walked up the staircases to the Midoriya household, knocking on the door.

Inko Midoriya answered. They greeted each other, and she invited him in.

“Mr. Aizawa!” Izuku poked his head out of his room curiously, “I didn’t know you were going to be here today!”

The boy’s eyes were bloodshot, as if he’d been crying constantly. His hair was even messier and wilder than before.

“I just came to talk to your mom about the dorms,” He replied.

“Did you want some tea Mr. Aizawa?” Inko asked him, gesturing for him to sit at the table.

“No thanks,” He replied, sitting. “I wanted to talk about your son’s enrollment and about the dorms.”

Izuku scrambled to sit across and his mom sat next to him pensively. 

“Yes,” She said softly, “And I’ve thought about it more… and I can’t see myself sending him to that school any more.”

“Wait, mom-but you said yesterday-”

“I know what I said Izuku!” She looked at her son fiercely, “But I’ve changed my mind! Since day one it’s been death, death, and death! Even your friends, kids I consider my own, were captured and tortured for the world to see! Not even that, ever since my child has enrolled at UA, he keeps getting hurt!” She pointed to his arms, which were still bandaged from his brief time in the hospital, “Look at that! If Hollow’s Quirk didn’t heal, they wouldn’t be usable! I won’t allow for more self-destruction!” She looked at the table, “Mr. Aizawa, I saw All Might get killed on TV. Yes, the villain died, but Izuku looked up to him. If he follows that path… all I see is death and destruction.” She wiped her eyes.

Izuku started crying and ran to his room, slamming his door. Mr. Aizawa sighed and looked on.

“There are other hero courses,” Mr. Aizawa said, “He’d be an amazing hero.”

She nodded. “I just… not there. Never again.”

“I understand.”

Mr. Aizawa didn’t push it. He was supposed to convince every parent, make a case for UA… but in all honesty, he didn’t want to. He cared too much about these kids. His heart was conflicted in convincing them to come to UA, and expelling them to stay away. 

He stood up.

“Thank you Miss. Midoriya. If you ever change your mind,” He took out a little business card and slid it to her, “UA will have its arms open for your son.”

She nodded, and Mr. Aizawa left. 

He was startled to see a little webbing come onto the balcony, and Hornet hopped on, with Hollow wall climbing behind her.

“Mr. Aizawa,” Hollow politely bowed.

“I have to come over later and talk about your enrollment,” Mr. Aizawa said.

Hornet nodded, “Then so shall it be. We have other things to do first,” She gestured to her packages. “Actually, this one is from you. It’s All Might’s letter to you. He wanted me to deliver all of these when he died.”

Mr. Aizawa looked at it, and sighed. He didn’t open it, but began walking away. “I’ll see you later Hornet.”

Hornet knocked on the door. Inko opened it fiercely, tears in her eyes, but she saw Hornet. 

“Hornet,” She wiped her eyes, “Sorry, I thought you were someone else.”

“May I come in, Inko? I’m sorry, hero work has made it harder to come by lately.” Hornet asked politely.

“Yes, you and Holly are always welcome,” She said, gesturing to them to come in.

Izuku was in the living room, clutching a piece of paper and looking disappointed, wiping tears from his eyes. Holly went over and hugged him from behind, causing him to jump and blush.

“Oh, sorry, I was lost in thought,” Izuku said, turning, “I…” He looked at the paper in longing.

“I have wills to deliver,” Hornet said, taking out an envelope and handing it to Inko. “This is addressed to you.”

Inko took it, a bit of surprise on her face as Hornet in turn gave one to Izuku.

“For me,” Inko opened it, careful not to tear it. She opened it to read.

_Dear Inko Midoriya,_

_I’m sorry. For everything. For the longest time you knew me as Mr. M, never knowing my alter ego. I’ve left you an entire scholarship for you and your son, so he may continue going to school without any worries about finances._

_This isn’t about that…_

_While I watched him grow up, from child to adolescent, I knew him Quirkless, as I was when I was his age. I knew he wanted to become a hero, but I didn’t know if he truly had it._

_But when I saw a Quirkless boy go up against a villain without second thought, my heart was inspired. So I gave him my Quirk._

_Yet to this Quirk there is what some consider a curse, or a blessing. For you see, Inko Midoriya, he must go against the greatest evil of them all now. I have killed my greatest enemy, the creator of this Quirk, but not his cursed spouse._

_Yes, young Izuku must face the heart of the infection itself… the Vessel has chosen him, and you cannot stop it._

_As of the revision of this will, the only reason why he hasn’t gone on this deadly journey is because the Vessel wants him to get stronger at UA, and UA only._

_Once again, I’m deeply sorry for this._

_All Might_

The world rocked. Inko read All Might’s words. Tears sprang into her eyes as she fell to the ground, her ears ringing. But even on the ground the world rocked as Inko's stomach twisted into knots, .

“N-no,” She muttered, going pale, staring at the paper, wide-eyed. "Please, for the love of goodness, no."

“Mom!” Izuku looked at her, startled, “Are you OK?!”

She started crying, looking up to the spider, “No, Hornet, it can’t be!”

Hornet looked down at her. She knew exactly what Inko was talking about. “I didn’t choose him.”

“He shouldn’t have! Izuku’s my child! I should have had a say in this!”

“Mom, what are you-”

“Your Quirk! He gave it to you!” Inko sobbed, “And now...now-”

Izuku’s face fell as he went pale.

“I’ll-I’ll-” She hiccupped, “I’ll let you go back to UA… but you’re on thin ice. One mistake, and- I don’t care what this Vessel says! What this Quirk will make you do! Until you’re old enough you will not be making deadly journeys to kill the most terrible evils!” She cried, clutching the will in her hand tightly.

Izuku’s eyes filled with tears as he dropped to the ground too. The pair hugged.

Hornet noticed the Ghost’s eyes flicker, something behind those eyes. It watched on, it’s face shifting slowly to sympathy.

“I’m glad you’ll be sticking to UA,” the Ghost said, “Then I will, too.”

Izuku looked over to It, and his face grew darker still. While his mother hadn’t yet figured it all out yet, Hornet couldn’t find it in her heart to break the news of what a Vessel was.

She’d find out later. For now, let the poor thing process the current situation, more might just give it a heart attack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AYY it's been a while! Writer's block! Shorter chapter but considering this fic's turnaround time it's been a while.   
> To break it I drew Ms. Midoriya on the ground. And then I was like "Why would she be?"  
> Duh, of course All Might died.  
> But no, more reason. All Might's dead, she just withdrew Izuku, and now she needs to re-enroll him or he's gonna be a-going on a dangerous mission.  
> Yay. Block broken. May this ride keep on going.  
> Next chapter: Moving into the dorms! Sweetness! A break from all this misery! Yay!   
> Thanks for everyone who left a review and is leaving reviews! You help motivate me <3


	50. Moving In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while! Happy new year! I'm not dead! :D  
> You'll have to read the rest of the notes to get why it's been a hot second XD

Holly hardly ever went to her room. Not that Hornet kept her from going in, but because she chose not to. There wasn’t much, a perfectly nice bed she more sat in than ever laid down, a desk, some pictures of her and her best friends. The desk was neatly organized with paper and quills, and the window seal had flowers. Delicate flowers.

The huge, sunflower-like flora glowed in the dim light. One of the Great Knights from Hollow Nest, when the King still ruled, had given it to her when Holly went to his memorial.

“Seeds, Le'mer,” The Grey said, holding the hand of her Mantis lover, “It is a rare, delicate gift. To grow such a flower, one must have a heart in this cruel world. Le'mer takes that heavy mantle...Che' wouldn't wish it upon one. Having served that brand at its great height, che' knows well what suffering it brings. Enough to turn nym'King to flee or fair Knights to mourning. Yet Le’mer has taken it, and Le’mer’s heart is pure.”

At the time, Holly bowed to her graciously. The brand was invisible on her forehead, but Holly had realized Bugs close to the Pale King could see it. She could read the Mantis’ face clearly at the time, and was confused and puzzled at the Grey Knight’s words.

She took out the water can and watered the great plant. The flowers had bloomed while she’d been gone, glowing even in the light. They were beautiful, otherworldly as Holly picked them.

“Are you ready little Ghost? Today’s the day,,” Hornet asked, knocking on the door and opening it.

Holly nodded, at least 14 flowers in her arms. It was a lucky thing that the flowers wouldn’t be destroyed riding a car, but they would be if the car crashed. She held them in her arms carefully as she walked with Hornet and hopped in the car. 

Hornet glanced at her, but didn’t say anything as they drove to the school. Holly had nothing to say, and neither did Hornet.

“Goodbye,” Holly said to Hornet, bowing to her.

“Be safe little Ghost,” Hornet said, and the hero drove away.

Meanwhile, Izuku's mom tearfully waved him away, crying as she watched him leave. Internally he was apologizing to her, but he put on a smile and waved her goodbye. He felt guilty about how she was manipulated into letting him go to school. Izuku’s stomach turned. Was this villainous? But it would help for the greater good. These were probably thoughts and choices heroes had to make on a daily, who to save first, who not to save. 

He kept on smiling, smiling, smiling. Just like All Might would have. Smile through those fears and doubts, smile, smile, smile. 

It didn't surprise him to see Holly there first. What surprised him was the armful of delicate flowers she held.

"Deku," she said happily, handing him one, "A gift. Delicate flowers are supposed to bring peace of mind and hope."

His eyes widened and his heart swelled. The flower was bigger than a sunflower, huge, glowing and magnificent. He could feel that it was delicate, but the sentimentality it brought.

Izuku wiped a tear out of his eye, trying to not cry. Instead his smile seemed to begin to hurt his cheeks, but he didn’t let it drop.

"It-it-it's beautiful," he sputtered, "Thank you."

The rest of the class came, and slowly, her flowers dwindled as Holly gave each of them one of her precious flowers.

When Uraraka came, and Holly gave her a flower too, her eyes widened in shock.

"A-a delicate flower?!" The girl cried, "these are so rare! How did you get so many, they're so hard to grow!"

"I grew them," she replied simply, "I know you may not like me, but mental health is still important and the class has been through a lot. You need something to give you peace too."

Urakaka’s face was a mixture of confusion, contempt and surprise.

Mr. Aizawa looked at the Vessel thoughtfully. Supposedly emotionless, but why would it give flowers to all? It shouldn’t be able to think, or feel, or understand. He decided to not pressure it as he showed everyone the dorms.

The remains of Class 1-A marveled at the dorms, how big they were, the spaces. Their teacher watched their reactions with some amusement as some of them seemed elated at how huge the place had become. 

“Goodnight Mr. Aizawa,” Holly handed him her last flower after he had shown them around, “Thank you.”

Her teacher took the flower, looking at it. A small smile came onto his face.

“Thank you,” their teacher said, tucking away the flower. Maybe he’d misunderstood how Vessels worked. Mr. Aizawa never met the Hollow Knight, never really understood how it worked with its Soullessness and Void. 

Hours later after unpacking, Holly returned to the main lobby and sat down quietly, watching idly as the sun began to set. Some of the other boys were there as well, coming down after they finished as well.

“I’m so beat,” Eijiro groaned and collapsed next to her, eyes half open.

“You and me both,” Sero replied, “You done unpacking?”

“I think so.”

“Feels good right?” Deku asked, sitting on the other couch with a smile.

“I know we could’ve died, but it’s kinda exciting to be living here!” Denki said, sitting on an arm of the other couch.

Idly, Holly nodded at them. With someone next to her she leaned onto Eijiro.

“It must be nice to have a Quirk that doesn’t let you tire,” He said teasingly to the little bug.

It forced itself to smile softly at him, letting out a false giggle, “It must be nice to tire, for then you may rest. 

The boy in turn let out a weird chortle. 

“Heya boys,” Mina Ashido’s voice rang almost flirtatiously at the group of guys as all of the girls joined them, “All done with your rooms?”

“Yep, we’re just unwinding now,” Denki waved at the other girls as they walked from their side of the door.

“Well, the girls and I have been talking,” She replied with excitement, “Let’s go around and see who has the coolest room!”

Most of them paled at the idea, and without even waiting for a reply the remainder of the girls in Class 1-A ran towards the boy’s dorms, and the first one on that floor was Deku’s.

“No wait, you can’t go in there!” He said with a shriek as the door was opened. 

Knowing his personal room already it didn’t surprise Holly when she poked in her own head and saw his entire All Might collection in there.

“It’s All Might everywhere!” Uraraka commented, “You’re such a fanboy!”

The walls were lined with All Might posters, and near the window, in an All Might-shaped planter was the Delicate flower she’d given him earlier.

“Well I admire him,” His face became beet red as he walked to his desk and looked down.

“Oh, what’s this?” Momo asked, looking at an old picture that stood out like a sore thumb on his desk, “Who’s the girl in the picture? She’s cute.”

It was the three of them, before Quirks came into their lives, posing together happily with smiles and peace signs. They all wore little fake hair bandanas with All Might’s hair. Kacchan had a huge item of cotton candy in one hand while Deku’s face was messy with ice cream on it. She looked completely different, with pale skin and thick, root-like hair. At the angle it was taken one couldn’t see her bug-like wings, nor the stubs that had made up her hands at the time.

“Oh, uhm-” Deku blushed harder, “That’s Holly. Our parents took us to the fair.”

“Oh!” Mina cooed at the picture, “Holly you look so cute before your Quirk! I could take your face and squish it!”

“You look strangely human,” Uraraka commented, “Oh, hold on, the more I look, the more buggy you get.”

“You’re half human too?” Mina asked.

Holly blinked at them. “Or pure bug.”

Not having anything to say, she gave Deku a pat on the back as the girls put down the picture and moved on.

Kacchan was spared of the dorm room contest, as he didn’t want anything to do with it, having already retired to bed.

Hitoshi's room was an interesting one. He also had some All Might posters, but not even close to the amount Deku had. He didn’t try to sing them away or protest but quietly watched as they judged his room. Royal purple sheets with some teddy bears and a very nice laptop he could do schoolwork on at the desk. He had a few pictures of his family, and a calendar with puppies on it above the desk. It wasn’t the most extravagant room there was. In an empty soda can was his delicate flower.

“You’re a fanboy too?” Mina teased.

“Not as bad as Midoriya,” He replied, looking out at him. Midoriya yelped and blushed deep red again. 

“The puppies are cute,” Uraraka said, “But otherwise, not much compared to the other boys.”

Hitoshi shrugged.

“Do you want a pot for the flower?” Momo said when she saw the flower, “I don’t mind making one for you.”

“If you don’t mind,” Hitoshi said, “It would look better than keeping it in an empty can.”

“One flower pot coming right up!” the girl said with a smile. She closed her eyes in concentration and a few moments later came out an opaque vase.

“Thanks,” Hitoshi took it, transferring the flower in, and the girls moved on.

“You know, it’s not fair you can judge our rooms, but we can’t judge yours!” Denki commented, looking at the girls, “We should make this a contest, and we should be allowed to judge your rooms too!”

“I thought that’s what we were doing?” Holly said, “A room contest. The first of its kind. And we vote for the best.”

The other boys suddenly had a glint in their eyes when they realized this.

“Yeah it’s time to judge your rooms!” Eijiro exclaimed.

Reinvigorated, the boys of class 1-A began marching to the girl’s side of the dorms, and opened the first room.

Holly’s room didn’t have much. The bed had been replaced, but it was hard to tell what it was, as there was a light green cloth now covering it. The lights were now taken up with lumaflies, and there was a small ornate music box on the desk. The floor glowed, and when Deku looked in he realized Holly had made a new teleportation spot. It gave off its own glow, the dreamcatcher constantly shifting. On the windowsill was an entire pot of Delicate flowers. She didn’t need lights with how many natural light sources were here. He noticed the exact same picture that was in his dorm on her desk, which was also organized with papers and quills.

“What a nice aesthetic,” Mina said, looking at it, “I suppose this is your bed.”

“Oh my god, it’s cute that you and Midoriya have the same picture!” Eijiro said, “Does Bakugo have a copy too?”

Holly shrugged. She didn't want to give up his privacy so easily.

“Is Sue not participating?” Hanta asked, noticing one of their fairer classmates weren’t with the group.

“She said she was feeling ill,” Uraraka said.

“Oh, we should leave her alone. We can always look later if she wants,” Karminari looked towards her door.

After the other girls were seen, the entire class gathered in the main living area, and began writing down their votes.

“Remember guys you can’t vote for yourself!” Mina said, taking the box and beginning to count.

“And with a unanimous vote, Shinso wins the first ever dorm room contest!” Mina said.

“WHAT?” most everyone jumped up and looked at the culprit, ready to accuse of singing

“No I’m shitting you, don’t attack him!” she laughed at their reactions, “Sorry Shinso, their faces were worth it.”

“Please don’t give everyone a heart attack like that,” Hitoshi said, but there was a small smile on his face.

“The real winner is Sero, he won with 6 votes.” Mina giggled.

The other boys began teasing Sero.

“Is it over now? Can I go to sleep?” Shoto asked.

“It seems so,” Holly replied.

“Thanks for sticking it out,” Deku said.

“Oh, wait Todoroki,” Uraraka called, “And Midoriya. Yaoyorozu, Kirishima, you got a sec? It’s really important.”

“Goodnight Deku,” Holly said as they all began to follow Uraraka.

“I’ll see you,” Deku smiled at her. He was nervous. Uraraka wasn’t his favorite person.

It was a bit weirder when he saw that Hitoshi had somehow slipped outside. But then it occurred to Deku he could have sung them at a standstill and slipped away.

“So uh, where are we going?” Eijiro asked.

“Right here,” She replied, “Shinso said they had something to tell everyone.”

“I’m sorry I stopped you all like that,” Hitoshi's voice was careful and steady, “I didn’t want any more people to die. I didn’t want any more of my classmates to die. I couldn’t-” his voice died and he wiped away tears threatening to spill over. But they kept coming, spilling uncontrollably. 

“It’s OK Shinso. I understand why you did it,” Uraraka comforted the boy.

“I’m not sure how I’m supposed to feel about doing that. I feel sick and gross. I shouldn’t have done that, but if I didn’t you all would have died with All Might." His voice remained unbroken, as it his eyes weren't betraying his true feelings.

“It’s why we came up with the room contest,” Uraraka said, “To bring us back together like a class. So things sorta start feeling normal again.” She pumped her arms, “What I’m saying is let’s try to work hard in our training and be good friends again!”

“Shinso, thanks for telling us how you feel!” Eijiro said loudly, with tears spilling over his eyes.

Deku’s eyes began to sprout mixed feelings. On one hand, he was devastated he couldn’t be there to help All Might. On the other hand, if Hitoshi didn’t do that, Holly and Kacchan would’ve been dead meat.

“It’s OK,” Momo had a fist over her heart, beginning to cry, “I understand how you feel.”

“You shouldn’t feel bad,” Shoto said. 

It turned into a mild crying fest. Deku knew it was his own feelings, and not Hitoshi puppeting it, because he hadn’t uttered a single word. They all needed a sense of stability now. That everything would be OK.

He looked to the starry sky, an odd sense of calm overcoming the tears. Things were going to be OK, somehow, in some way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made Sue actually ill so as to not have to come up with her room. So Shinso's the one apologizing! What a reversal! For now we only get how Deku feels, which is WHAT THE FUCK. The rest of the class are unaware of what happened except that they probably changed their minds, or Shinso *did* stop them. Most won't talk about it, as they don't want to trigger Holly or Bakugo accidentally if they overhear it. And believe me they don't want to think too much of their last days at camp.  
> I caught COVID so I was in the hospital for a bit, but now I'm back and feeling a lot better! I didn't want to keep you all waiting.  
> Thank you so, so much for the comments! We're almost there! I can't believe this story is 50 chapters long! I estimate maybe 25-30~ more chapters until completion! :D  
> I'm so excited to finally finish this! XD  
> Feel free to leave a comment! Seeing them make me super happy! :D  
> Thank you so much for your support (again lol)


	51. Ultimate Moves, GO!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ultimate move training begins now! Holly and Deku have quite a hard time figuring out what kind of moves they want while the rest of the class easily comes up with dozens of moves.

On the beach, Deku clutched his cheek, tears in his eyes as he looked up towards his hero. He was in his deflated, thin form.

“I can’t hold my form for more than a few seconds,” All Might said, “I’m counting on you now. I’m so proud of you.” He leaned down and met Deku on the ground, giving him a very awkward hug. “You’re stuck with me now. I’m going to devote myself to training you now.”

“I’ll do my best!” The boy cried as he sat up in bed. It took him a second to register that he wasn’t on the beach anymore. 

“Huh?” He muttered to himself. His stuff was here but- “Oh. Right. I’m in the dorms now.”

Then the memory that All Might really wasn’t here, and Deku sighed, wiping away a tear. He took a few deep breaths, then went to go brush his teeth.

Everyone’s morning routine was different, with some waking early to make their own breakfasts, while others slept in before rushing out to gobble down the scraps. There was a quiet, excited chatter amongst everyone. Things should go back to normal now. As normal as it could be, at least.

* * *

“I believe I mentioned this already, but your main focus this summer is obtaining provisional hero licenses.” Mr. Aizawa said to the class.

“Yes sir!” The class said.

“Do not take this lightly.” He said, “A hero license means you’ll be responsible for people’s lives. You can imagine that the exam to receive one is very difficult. Only 50% of students pass what is required for these tests each year.”

The class gasped at this.

“In order to prepare, today you’ll concentrate on creating something new. Ultimate moves.” The door opened beside Mr. Aizawa. Midnight, Cementoss and Ectoplasm walked in.

“Ultimate moves!” Kirishima and Karminari cried out enthusiastically. Ashido and Sero joined them when, in sync, they all stood up and yelled in excitement, “An exam is a normal school thing, but this is total hero work!”

“When we say ‘Ultimate’, we mean a move that will ensure you win against your opponent,” Ectoplasm said.

“An action so unique to your identity that no other person can hope to copy it,” Cementoss added, raising a finger with a smile, “Simply put, you must learn to lean into your strengths.”

With a provocative pose Midnight said, “Your moves represent who you are. These days most pro heroes have an ultimate move.” She winked, “Those who don’t are fools.”

“This may sound abstract but we’ll explain more as the day goes on,” Mr. Aizawa said, “For now, change into your costumes and meet me in Gym Gamma.”

The sun beat down on the summer’s day, high in the sky as the students began to idly file into Gym Gamma. While the childish wish of going to play burned in some of their minds, the excitement of learning ultimate moves burned brighter. Gym Gamma was considerably cooler inside, extremely large and empty. There were windows to the outside, painted green and orange around the panels, giving it mostly natural lighting. There seemed to be no clocks, so it would serve as the only passage of time. On the cement ground was huge, painted rectangles that stretched to the end of the room, The teachers were already there, of course.

“This is Gym Gamma, or as the training academy likes to call it, ‘Training Dining Land’, or ‘TDL’.” Mr. Aizawa said after he did a quick headcount.

Some of them looked quite surprised at this name.

Cementoss leaned down, making the floor glow a soft green. “This facility was my idea,” a miniature structure appeared, “We can prepare unique terrains and obstacles for each student here. Here you will learn to serve up justice, hence the name.”

“That’s pretty cool,” Kaminari nodded, looking at the miniature with interest.

“Why do we have to learn an ultimate move, if I may ask?” Ashido said with a raised hand.

Mr. Aizawa looked at her, then the class.

“The job of a pro hero is to save people from all sorts of dangers. Crime, accidents, and natural or man-made disasters. Of course, the license examines how well you’re able to deal with such things. It won’t just be fighting. Your ability to gather information and make quick decisions will be judged. In addition to how well you communicate, cooperate and lead others. Every year a new test is used to evaluate these qualities.”

Midnight stepped forward, a finger held as if to chime in, “One thing is especially important. If you want to be a pro hero you must be able to prevail in battle. If you’re prepared you won’t have to worry. And those of you with an Ultimate Move will have stronger results.”

“Your circumstances should not dictate the results of your future battles,” Cementoss smiled at the class, “Learn to be consistent and you will be a great asset in the front lines.”

“Your ultimate move doesn’t necessarily have to be an attack,” Ectoplasm said, “Remember Iida’s Reciproburst from the Sport’s Festival? That temporary burst in speed was so valuable that it fell into the category of excellence we were looking for.”

“So this is our secret weapon, to give us the edge against who we’re facing,” Yaoyorozu mused aloud. 

“There’s a smart girl,” Midnight winked at her, “For example, like how Hornet can use her Spider’s Prison to capture many foes in an instant, that’s exactly something we want to see.”

“The training camp was interrupted,” Mr. Aizawa continued, “But the practice you did get in to develop your Quirks was part of the process needed to create these defining abilities. Now that you’re caught up, you’ll be working hard to create these powerful moves for the next two weeks or so. This is how you’ll spend the remainder of your summer vacation. Prepare for intensive training! In addition, you should think about how you can improve your costumes, especially now that you have a better understanding of your Quirks. I expect you all to go Plus Ultra.”

As he said this, Cementoss began to make pillars of varying levels across the empty room, far away spaced from everyone that no one would hinder each other. Ectoplasm duplicated himself, copies of himself waiting on each pillar. 

“Do you have it in you?”

“Yes sir!” The class replied with enthusiasm. 

10 minutes passed as everyone was taken up to their pillars. Holly climbed hers, for it was faster than Cementoss bringing her up. 

“What did you plan your ultimate move being?” Ectoplasm asked.

Holly paused for a moment. Teleporting away was useless if she couldn’t come back, only for purely retreating. She couldn't turn off the Shade Soul. There wasn’t an off switch for it. 

But… there was something new in her. The Lost, _her_ Lost Kin, imparted her with something. The voice to be heard again. With Soul, they could now weaponize their voices. The teachers most likely weren’t aware of this new development. But they’d looked into it in that in-between of the moving and now. One of three things the Snails could do when it came to spells. 

“I have an idea for trying out the Howling Wraiths spell. Since I am typically quiet, it might surprise my opponents greatly.”

“That would be more of a normal move than an ultimate move,” Ectoplasm said.

“I need to hit opponents to gather the Soul anyway. That could be like charging up for an Ultimate move. I am unsure what an ultimate move would look like for my Quirks.”

The teacher nodded, “It’s true that your Quirks are unique. The uncontrollable speed of your Crystal Heart. Being able to see the thoughts of others and teleport with the Dream Nail Quirk. Your ability to use Soul is the most useful of your Quirks, especially how you were able to twist it and make it your own, unlike anything anyone’s seen. An attack like that is certainly an advantage.” 

Holly stared at the teacher, “What do you recommend I do?”

“Have you never tried to imagine what your ultimate move would be? You understand your Quirk better than I ever could.”

They shook their head.

“Your lack of imagination could be your downfall in the front lines.”

_No mind to think._

An involuntary, bodily shudder passed over Holly’s body. It was a voice similar to their Father’s when Holly had Dream Nailed his corpse. An echo of someone else’s memory. A strange sensation suddenly, as if the idea of coming up with new, creative ideas…did it _scare_ them? But what was fear is you did not know peace? What was happiness if you did not have an idea for misery? Why then, would suddenly these words pop into Holly’s mind now. It was not like she knew her father. She couldn’t even feel pity when finding his corpse. Yet she kept the half-broken charm, and after all this time, not going to the Queen to get its other half.

Encountering the Lost Kin had done more to them than given Holly a new power. New sensations and things that never crossed her mind suddenly came to be. As if the ghostly form was suddenly there their Kin appeared once again. It twisted its little stubs, putting it to its chest, then throwing them up skywards. Strange, that she could still see it now. Maybe this is what they talked about, hallucinations and imaginations from those who went through tremendous trauma. But she understood its idea now, after this long pause.

“I could twist my other spells like I have with Shade Soul.” After saying this, the Kin nodded enthusiastically, and Ectoplasm paused.

“A good start. What triggered Shade Soul the first time?” Ectoplasm nodded encouragingly.

“T’was quite unusual, sir,” Holly said, “My own Shade. A boiling, unknown anger of the calling’s of another voice, and to scare it to make it stop.”

“Shinso's Quirk then?”

“I would fear having him try that again would make him die of fright.”

“Hmm,” He paused to think for a bit, “Meditation may help you and your Shade to become more one, since we don’t want your classmate accidentally dying. Let’s begin with teaching you some meditation styles that you can do once we’re done for the day. After that, we shall focus on developing your fighting style.”

Holly nodded.

Half an hour into the training, Holly had noticed Deku was struggling as well. He was talking to Ectoplasm, and she caught just the tips of it over the noise. 

“...say that the damage...irreversible if I keep…” 

“Focus!” Ectoplasm hit her with the back of his leg. Holly swiftly turned back, Nail at the ready. 

Kacchan seemed to excel, at least. 

“Ectoplasm! Another one!” Her friend yelled. The others took notice, and began to shout at each other ideas of their own ultimate moves. Denki wanted an electric sword. Mina wanted to make a super geyser. 

When Holly had killed Ectoplasm, she noticed something walking towards the towers. Or, more likely, someone. It was a ghostly image of All Might, slowly floating to them all. It was similar to the Lost Kin, in terms of transparency and otherworldliness. It first walked to Deku. Deku didn’t seem to notice it, but his face twisted into that pensive look. It went to each student, and all of them made faces too, as if they were gaining a better idea of their super move. 

Ectoplasm had conjured another clone of himself, and Holly had thrown out the Shade Soul on it, killing it in an instant when the ghost appeared. She paused to turn and listen to it.

“You can see me, can’t you?” All Might asked.

She nodded, and gestured to Lost Kin.

All Might laughed, “It’s the last thing I can do. I wasn’t sure what ideas to give you. Your Father would’ve given you training to develop how you cast spells, which would be better as an ultimate move. Personally I think how you’ve twisted your spells and made them one with yourself is a fine idea for your ultimate moves.”

Holly swiftly dodged another kick from Ectoplasm, who asked, “Why are you staring off into space?”

How could she explain the ghosts that she could only see? It would sound insane to tell her teacher the dead All Might was here, giving her advice.

So she said nothing, only jumping in the air to try and do more with the Desolate Dive.

In the corner of her eyes she knew All Might left them, although she didn’t know where to.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set by the time their training ended. It could be argued that it was less brutal since they were in an air-condition room, but the class still felt quite tired when they met back in the classroom, still in costume.

“Regarding your costume changes,” Mr. Aizawa informed them, “once you’ve figured out if anything needs to be changed, head to the development studio here. Get the experts to help you out and give you suggestions. They’ll know what to do. Dismissed.”

Izuku walked down the hall itself, cast in lights of various oranges from the setting sun. He was tired. Somehow he’d gotten it into his head that he was still mimicking All Might too much. He needed to switch things up. Plus, his arms still were pretty damaged. Even after Holly’s healing, they warned that if she couldn’t heal him, then his tendons could be done for. He walked a fine line, and even with her healing they still hurt a bit from the Sport’s Festival, and that was ages ago. Not as bad as they used to, but still. Braces could help. 

He saw the little sign ahead that said “Development Studio.”

He stared at the huge, steel-bolted door. There had to be something here to help him. Some kind of brace, surely, to help reinforce his arms. Deku held up his arms and looked at them. He needed to train his body more so he could wield One for All at maximum power.

His hands turned into fists. And a way to wield his power and get an ultimate move. Otherwise, he’d fall behind everyone else. 

He looked at the door, flooded with determination. That’s not going to happen! Izuku will make it to the top and achieve his dream!

Bakugo wasn’t quite fond of Uraraka. Something about how bright and pink she was put him off from the girl. Or maybe it was just the vibes she gave him. The girl was explaining her idea for an ultimate move when he, quite rudely, asked, “Do you ever shut up?”

“Not everyone is as quiet and obedient as your girlfriend,” Uraraka shot back.

“What?” He wasn’t aware this bitch had even had an idea they had been together. “I’m gay, bitch.”

She went pale and recoiled as if slapped. Bakugo let out an annoyed ‘tch.’

“Oh, hey there Deku!” Uraraka ran ahead, and Bakugo noticed the idiot staring at the door into space. “Are you here for costume improvements too?”

Deku’s face turned to them as he opened the door, which exploded.

Immediately Bakugo went into defense mode, running over to him and dragging him out of the smoke. Noticing someone on top of Deku, Bakugo kicked them off.

“Ow ow ow owie ow!” A female voice said.

“Kacchan, I’m OK,” Deku coughed through the smoke.

Another deeper voice coughed, “You know you shouldn’t try to mix everything in the lab like that.”

“Failure is the mother of invention, Mr. Power Loader. Thomas Edison said something like that once,” As the smoke cleared, a girl with bright pink hair and a gray tank top stood up from the clearing smoke, “Just because something didn’t work like I envisioned it doesn’t mean it’s a waste of time!”

“God damn it, you scared the shit out of me!” Bakugo yelled at the girl.

“Oh, sorry about the explosion,” She adjusted her glasses, “Class 1A, right? Uh..” She chuckled, “Yeah I forgot all your names already.”

“Good, because I don’t remember you either!” He aggressively growled.

“Kacchan, calm down,” Deku said as Bakugo helped him to his feet, “It was unexpected.”

He opened his mouth aggressively, sucking in a deep breath of air and letting it out through his nose slowly. He was still shaking, aggressive energy making his hands spark. 

“Get in there and get what you need,” Kachhan’s voice was a razer edge of wire, “Hurry up.”

“Kach-”

"Deku!” 

They stared at each other intensely for a moment. Kacchan closed his eyes and breathed, trying to calm himself down.

“Don’t let my dumbass stop your dumbass. Now hurry the fuck up so I can get my shit quicker.”

At least he had the sense of mind to leave Bakugo be. Outside he heard talking, and some move sounds of surprise from that idiot. Bakugo had to tune it out.

_Breath in,_

_One_

_Two_

_Three_

_Four_

_Breath out,_

_Two_

_Three_

_Four_

He repeated this a couple of times, like the strange therapist he now had to see instructed him to. 

He walked in to see Deku’s face looking like a lightbulb went off in his head. Bakugo could see the cogs turning in his head furiously, whirring quickly. He smirked and walked to Power Loader.

“I want a way to help make little grenades from my sweat, like my big ones,” Bakugo handed him the paperwork.

“OH, grenades you say!?” The pink-haired one exclaimed.

“Leave me alone!” Bakugo spat, “I’m not interested in anything you have to say!”

The teacher took it, “Leave one of those here and I can see what I can do.”

Bakugo undid the bindings to his giant arm grenades, watching Deku run out of the room in excitement. Huh. Wonder what he just came up with.

He smirked again when Deku ran back in.

“Oh! That’s right! My costume changes! I just wanted arm braces!” He took out his paper and quickly handed it to Power Loader. As soon as the teacher took it he ran off again excitedly. 

Later still that day Bakugo flopped down onto the couch next to Deku, who was writing furiously in a notebook, muttering to himself.

“So what was that all about in the Development Studio, Deku? I haven’t seen you that excited in a long time.”

“Oh! I guess I wanted to tell Ectoplasm right away,” Deku laughed, looking up, “I, uhm, had an idea for a fighting style. Kickboxing and using my legs more often. To reduce the strain on my arms.”

“I wasn’t aware you’d hurt your arms so badly,” Holly joined them on the couch, sitting on the other side of Deku.

“Y-Yeah the doctors said that if I keep going with my arms like I have been I might lose them, despite the healing.”

“Interesting,” Holly leaned on him, “Very interesting.”

“So legs better than arms?” Bakugo threw his legs on top of Deku’s and Holly’s laps, laying back onto the couch and grabbing the remote, “That’s not the worst idea you’ve had.”

“It's better than your idea thinking caterpillars were gummy worms!” Deku shot at him.

“You ate those fuckers too, idiot.” He laughed at him.

Deku slapped Kachaan’s knee, “Nu-uh! You snatched it out of my hand and gobbled it up!”

“Did not.”

“Did to!”

“Oh my god you guys sound like little kids,” Eijiro jumped on the loveseat next to the trio and put up his feet, “What’re we watching? I heard the new season of ‘The Mannequin Game’ just dropped.”

“Eh, you choose then,” Bakugo threw it towards him, "I'm not really that picky over TV shit."

"Hell yes!" The boy immediately switched the channel over and began to frantically look up said show.

The days passed quickly as their training went on. With his new method, Deku was able to finally get a grip on a fighting style and was beginning on some of his own ultimate moves. But Holly struggled.

Their day of rest, Sunday, came. Early in the morning the little bug rose from the bench and packed a small back of essentials, and tucked away half the King’s Charm into a pocket.

It was be time to finally visit her mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had some fun with this one and considered adding ghost All Might as a picture. But it might be one of those things were I go back and do it, haha. Fluffy training montages are always cute <3  
> A definitely more laid-back chapter. Consider this another breather as we get into THE VISIT  
> OH YEAH  
> BEEN BUILDING THAT ONE UP FOR A WHILE  
> WE'RE GETTING THEIR FOLKS  
> I'M EXCITED  
> I'm gonna have to have a scene for Holly, Bakugo and Deku all finally sitting down and talking about what happened in camp tho... and processing that. It'll probably be its own chapter entirely, probably after dear Holly comes back from her mom. Chalk it up to them not yet having to have a chance to do so + paranoid parents letting anyone near them before going back to UA + All might dying. a lot of stuff they just gotta unpack.  
> Or maybe I'll put in a double and it can happen DURING the test. With so many other new people's Quirks to play with it would be very interesting to see them interact with that too, along with the rest of Class 1-A! Plus, Bakugo just might not be wanting to think about it, the unaffected Holly not bringing it up and Deku just being to shy to talk about it... juicy dynamics. Much yum XD  
> Thank you all for the lovely comments!! I've read them all!! Sorry for the slower chapters, it's always really rough for me around this time of the year. I'm glad I was able to squeeze out another chapter this week at least.  
> Hopefully I'll have the next one next week at the latest. Cross my fingers! >W<  
> Leave a comment with what you thought of this :D  
> Thank you for reading!


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